Chelsea youngsters given deadline to force way into first team

Clock's ticking: Abraham is one of a number of young players hoping to make the step up
PA

Frank Lampard has told Chelsea's youngsters they have to impress him now if they want to break into the first-team this season.

The Blues are in Japan for for friendlies against J-League champions Kawasaki Frontale and Barcelona in the next seven days, before they kick-off the campaign with matches against Manchester United and Liverpool in the Premier League and European Super Cup, respectively.

Lampard's return to Chelsea as manager has come with the club still adjusting to the sale of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid and facing a two-year Fifa transfer ban, which they are challenging in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The 41-year-old has promised to give youth a chance but he has said the likes of Jamie Cumming, Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount, Kasey Palmer and Tammy Abraham, who are all in Japan, must prove they are worthy of making the step up.

"Everybody knows I have a keen eye for the younger players in the academy," Lampard said. "We have a batch of them fighting to get into the first team.

"To be absolutely clear, they now have to make the difference. It’s a road that is given to them and now they have to be the ones that play well enough to get into the team.

"I don’t care about age, I care about performance and how people train and play. Now with the squad it is up to those players to show what they can do.

"A club like Chelsea always wants to improve in the transfer market. But the transfer ban is here so it is probably a waste of my time to think too much about what could have been. My job is to have absolute belief in the players.

"If there’s a blessing in disguise it’s the fact that we don’t have a stressful start of August with the transfer window," he added.

Chelsea squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers

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Lampard said he was delighted that England U-21 midfielder Mount had agreed a new five-year deal but added that Wales international Ethan Ampadu was not in Japan because he could be sent out on loan this season.

Meanwhile, Olivier Giroud has warned Lampard he cannot afford a period of adjustment after joining from Derby County.

"You always need more time in football obviously, but it's all about being competitive straight away, especially at Chelsea which is a massive club and wants to play for the title every single year," said the France striker.

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