Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca talks up Reggie Walsh prospects, reveals two other academy starlets are in his plans

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has talked of his excitement over the prospects of Reggie Walsh, highlighting him as his favourite academy player.

Despite being just 16 years of age, Walsh has already been provided with a first-team start by Maresca, the teenager playing the full 90 minutes of the second leg of the Conference League semi-final against Djurgardens in May.

While the midfielder has since been restricted to Under-21s fixtures, already completing the 90 minutes on three occasions in Premier League 2 fixtures during 2025-26 has emphasised how highly-thought of he is at Stamford Bridge.

Ten goals were scored against Manchester City, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, Walsh not providing a strike or assist but clearly having a major influence on the performances.

As quoted by The Athletic, Maresca has revealed why Walsh is his favourite academy player, while also admitting that two other starlets are in his plans.

Maresca waxes lyrical about Walsh

Maresca said: "I like all the academy guys but Reggie is the one I like more than the rest

"I like Reggie because he is doing things that I’m demanding to the other players, but he is doing those things without me asking him to do that.

"I don’t need to ask him to do something. What he’s doing is already what I want from that player."

Mheuka, Kavuma-McQueen in Maresca's Chelsea plans

Shim Mheuka and Ryan Kavuma-McQueen were the other two players who Maresca openly spoke about on Friday, acknowledging that he has been monitoring their progression.

The Italian added: "They are both in my plans, for sure. Shimmy was already with us, he played some games for us last year.

“The other one (Kavuma-McQueen) for me is more of a winger. He scored four goals against Germany. I even watched that game. I was very impressed but I already knew him.

"We always have one of my staff watching the second team since last year. They told me that this guy was very good so I watched him. I think he’s good.”

Seventeen-year-old Mheuka has already made five senior appearances, racking up 118 minutes in the process, while he has four goals from three Premier League 2 outings during 2025-26.

Kavuma-McQueen has recently received widespread attention for his four goals for England Under-17s against Germany, but the 16-year-old also has four goals and two assists from 11 appearances at Premier League 2 level.