Lampard Namechecks Nigeria-Eligible Midfielder For Chelsea First Team Role

Manager Frank Lampard reckons Nigeria-eligible midfielder Faustino Anjorin and Ian Maatsen could follow in the footsteps of Billy Gilmour and earn promotion to Chelsea first team.

The England U19 international is knocking on the door of the Chelsea first team, with Lampard giving him minutes in the League Cup win against Grimsby Town in September, before handing him his Premier League debut off the bench against Everton last month.

Anjorin can expect more playing opportunities, Lampard hinted when asked by Gary Neville to namecheck the players who are ready to follow Gilmour into the first team.

"We've had another couple of young players [emerge]," Lampard said on Sky Sports according to The Mirror.

"Tino Anjorin came on against Everton and played in the Carabao Cup earlier in the season, and Ian Maatsen played some minutes.

"I don't want to leave out too many others because there are so many good young players that have the potential to come through, but we know the ones that are there.

"One of the first things that we [the coaching team] tried to do at Chelsea was bring them in, and get an idea that if you train well enough in the academy you're not forgotten, it will get flagged, and you will have an opportunity to train with us.

"So there are a few more that have shown themselves when they've come and trained with us."

Anjorin is on the radar of the Nigeria Football Federation with a view to approaching him to pledge his international future to the Super Eagles.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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