Chelsea’s 10 most valuable academy graduates in 2024 according to Transfermarkt

Chelsea boast one of the best youth academies in world football and we’ve checked out who their 10 most valuable academy graduates are in 2024.

It speaks volumes of the talent that has come through the Chelsea academy when the likes of Mason Mount, Marc Guehi, Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek don’t even make the cut for this list.

Using figures provided by Transfermarkt, here are Chelsea’s 10 most valuable academy graduates in 2024.

=5. Ian Maatsen – £33.8million

After spending the second half of last season out on loan with Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea decided to cash in on Maatsen this summer and sell him to Aston Villa.

In the end, the deal was worth a reported £37.5million fee which is slightly above his valuation according to Transfermarkt which currently sits at £33.8million.

=5. Reece James – £33.8million

A fully-fit James has the potential to be the best full-back in the world, but injuries haven’t been kind to the 24-year-old of late.

As a result of his injury-prone nature, his market value has dwindled over the last two years. At his peak, he was worth £60million, but these days he holds a market value of £33.8million.

We’re hoping he can get himself back on track next season.

=5. Fikayo Tomori – £33.8million

Since making the move to Italy, Tomori has racked up over 140 appearances for AC Milan and seems to be enjoying life in his new surroundings.

“Going to Milan helped me, it allowed me to have a different perspective from how people see football,” Tomori told talkSPORT.

“The championship in Italy is different and so are the people who follow it. Not only, however, in football, my life has also changed and the Italian culture suits me.

“Normally Italians are calm, but when it comes to football they become very passionate. It’s a different experience and I have learned a lot.”

=5. Dominic Solanke – £33.8million

Solanke was a highly-rated prospect during his youth days with Chelsea and he’s now fulfilling that potential with Bournemouth in the Premier League.

In the entire Chelsea squad, only Cole Palmer managed to score more goals than Solanke last season.

=5. Andreas Christensen – £33.8million

Losing Christensen on a free transfer still has to sting. The Danish defender spent a decade at the club but left in 2022 in search of a new challenge.

If anything, his reputation has only been enhanced since joining Barcelona. He’s already managed to win two trophies for the club and has looked like a solid performer throughout his tenure so far.

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=5. Nathan Ake – £33.8million

Is he the most underrated defender in world football right now?

Ake never seems to get the same plaudits as the likes of John Stones and Ruben Dias, but his impact at Manchester City over these last few years has been just as vital.

Capable of playing at centre-half or left-back, Ake has developed into a top-level defender since making the move to the Etihad.

He spent six years on the books at Chelsea as a youngster but spent most of his time out on loan.

4. Levi Colwill – £42.2million

Last summer, Colwill penned a six-year contract with the club and it’s obvious to see why so many Chelsea fans rate him so highly.

After developing well during his loan spells with Huddersfield and Brighton, the 21-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season at Stamford Bridge last season.

Left-footed centre-halves aren’t easy to come across and Colwill has plenty of desirable traits that make him such a valuable player.

The likes of Bayern Munich and Liverpool have been sniffing around the young defender in recent months, but he’s still part of Chelsea’s plans moving forward.

3. Conor Gallagher – £42.2million

Is this the end of the road for Gallagher at Stamford Bridge? Despite being one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers last season, the exit talk surrounding the 24-year-old just won’t go away.

The likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham have been linked with him, although they will need to cough up a decent amount of money to get him out of Chelsea.

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2. Michael Olise – £46.4million

Olise spent seven years in the Chelsea academy from 2009 to 2016. He also spent time in the Arsenal and Manchester City academies but didn’t get his big break until he joined Reading.

After continuing his development at Crystal Palace, he recently made the switch to Bayern Munich for a reported €60million transfer fee.

Playmakers with the technical skills of Olise are hard to come by and we couldn’t be more excited to see him at the Allianz Arena next season.

1. Declan Rice – £101million

Who else? Rice spent his early years in the Chelsea academy but was let go at the age of 14 and then picked up by West Ham.

Few could have predicted the player that Rice would have developed into but Chelsea will no doubt feel that he was someone who slipped through the cracks at the club.

Now considered as one of the best midfielders in the world, he holds a current market value of £101million.