Big Day For 'New Mikel' As Midfielder Debuts For Chelsea In UYL

England U19 international Tariq Uwakwe is set to make a long-awaited debut for Chelsea in the UEFA Youth League.

The versatile midfielder, who has been labelled the new Obi Mikel, has been included in the starting line-up for the Blues clash versus AS Roma at Cobham Training Centre (Stoke d'Abernon, Surrey) this afternoon, starting from 1300 hours.

Another England youth-teamer Faustino Anjorin starts on the bench for the two-time champions.

The last time Chelsea met the Giallorossi in the UEFA Youth League was back in the 2014-15 season, in the semifinal of the competition, when Tammy Abraham and Dominic Solanke were among the scorers in a 4-0 win.

The 17-year-old Uwakwe has played four times for Chelsea's youth teams in the current campaign, including three starts in the last three matches in the U18 Premier League.

Chelsea Starting XI : Bułka, Chalobah, Grant, James, Ampadu, Uwakwe, Sterling, Maddox, Brown, McCormick (c), Castillo.

Chelsea Substitutes : Cumming, Colley, St Clair, Anjorin, Taylor-Crossdale, C.Dasilva, Gilmour

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com