Cesare Casadei focused on long-term mission to be part of the Chelsea project

Cesare Casadei doesn’t know what his immediate future might hold, but he knows very clearly what his long-term goals are.

Fresh off his Player of the Tournament performance at the U20 World Cup, the 20-year-old is looking forward to his summer holidays before getting back to the business at hand.

“I’ve just finished the season and I want to disconnect from football for a few days. Afterwards, it will depend on the options that are on the table and my decisions. But, I have a five-year contract with Chelsea.

“I’ve embarked on a journey that isn’t a short term mission. The club is investing in young players and I aim to be part of its project. My ambition is to wear the shirt and play in the Premier League, which is currently the number one league in the world.”

Casadei moved to Chelsea last summer as one of the first signings of the new regime, and their clear emphasis on long-term (win-later) rewards. The fee that Chelsea paid might have led to expectations of immediate first-team involvement — before it became clear that we’re just stocking up for the future with these signings — but Casadei initially stayed with the Development Squad before heading out on a successful half-season loan at Championship side Reading.

No regrets for the youngster so far in his decision to join us, even if part of the reason he was supposedly wanting to leave Inter Milan was due to first-team pathways.

“It’s an experience that is teaching me a lot in every aspect. I’m really happy with the choice I made along with my agent Paolo Busardò. It wasn’t the easiest option, but I wanted to take this opportunity because the chance to sign for a team like Chelsea, might only come up a few times in your career, if not only once.

“Today, I can say that this experience is giving me a lot from both a human and professional point of view. I feel like I’ve improved a lot since coming here.”

-Cesare Casadei; source: FC Inter News via Football-Italia

Casadei is proving at every step so far that he is indeed improving and ready for the next challenge. I suppose that won’t quite be the Chelsea first-team this season yet, but we’ll see...