Tino Livramento named 2020-21 Chelsea Academy Player of the Year

Over the past couple decades, Chelsea have established a strong habit of producing top level talent at the Academy, even if most of those young players would eventually go on to carve out professional careers for themselves elsewhere.

But that paradigm is slowly changing — thanks in large part to last season and the job done by Frank Lampard and Jody Morris — and while we’re still spending plenty in the transfer market, those coming through now do (hopefully) have a real chance at establishing themselves in the first-team.

One name certainly worth keeping an eye on is Tino Livramento, who was named the Chelsea Academy Player of the Year today. Recent winners of this award include Billy Gilmour, Conor Gallagher, Reece James, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori, and Dom Solanke. Not bad company at all for young Tino.

Croydon-born Livramento, like many on the list above, joined Chelsea at an early age and has worked his way up across the various age groups over the past decade. Still just 18, Tino has been regular for the U23 Development Squad this season, playing mostly on the right flank as a wing-back and contributing with multiple assists.

He was rewarded with two bench appearances for the first-team in our recent Premier League games against Manchester City and Arsenal.

One might imagine a loan move is next for Livramento, since that’s still part of the general process, but considering that Chelsea could use another right wing-back in the squad, we just might have a ready-made option available already. (Or, on a similar note, give the once again fit Dujon Sterling another chance and/or bring back Marc Guehi for a central option instead of Reece James — anything other than wasting untold millions on backups.)

In any case, congrats, Tino! Here’s to a great future.