Chelsea youngsters Jake Clarke-Salter and Charlie Colkett stake claims for first-team place with displays on loan at Bristol Rovers

CHELSEA are renowned for their work with nurturing and uncovering talent at youth level and have dominated the FA Youth Cup – winning it in four of the last five seasons.

It is hard to claim any other English side have a better set-up for the upcoming players of tomorrow, even if the path to the first-team has been fraught with obstacles.

Two players – from a crop of close to 40 currently out on loan - are beginning to make serious strides in their first-ever taste of first-team football away from Stamford Bridge.

Jake Clarke-Salter and Charlie Colkett might be a world away from the Blues first-team. But the pair are cutting their teeth at League One Bristol Rovers – and the hype surrounding them is gathering pace.

The pair are making names for themselves down in the West Country after impressing on the pitch in recent weeks, and both were on the scoresheet in Rovers’ 2-0 win against Oldham last weekend.

SunSport have cast their eye over two of Chelsea’s newest starlets…

JAKE CLARKE-SALTER

Clarke-Salter, 19, has already made one appearance for Chelsea after coming on for the last 20 minutes in a 4-0 win against Aston Villa at the end of last season.

The young defender has won the FA Youth Cup three times and also helped the Blues lift the Uefa Youth League on two occasions.

He is hugely admired by his parent club and has been compared to John Terry - by Terry himself!

The England under-20 captain’s debut for Rovers was delayed due to injury but he eventually ran out for his new side in a 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United at the end of September.

Since then, Clarke-Salter has grabbed his first assist against MK Dons and hit his first-ever professional goal in the clash with Oldham.

CHARLIE COLKETT

Colkett, 20, was also part of the double-Uefa Youth League winning Chelsea side. And he even skippered them to their most recent success.

The centre-midfield man was an unused substitute in Chelsea’s game against Swansea last April and came on for his professional debut for Darrell Clarke’s Rovers against Rochdale at the start of September in a 2-2 draw.

Colkett has made eight appearances for the West Country club. His first professional strike came late on in a 1-1 draw away to Bradford. He has since been on the scoresheet twice more in October.

Not only has the promising middleman been scoring with confidence, he has also set up two goals for his teammates.

And he has thrown into the media spotlight after a sensational back-heel assist for Chelsea colleague Clarke-Salter against MK Dons just two weeks ago.

Both of these youngsters are beginning to play a key role for Rovers and could even help propel them towards an unlikely spot in the play-offs. They are certainly two to keep a close eye on.