Ethan Ampadu smiles as the question is asked. It’s one posed to him previously and one he has been unable to answer. It is no different this time around as the 21-year-old attempts to earn a place in the Chelsea squad for the 2022/23 campaign.
“I hoped that by now I’d have found out the answer,” he replies when asked which position on the pitch he considers his favourite. "But I’m not sure yet. I just enjoy playing football to be honest.”
Ampadu has done a lot of that over the past two years, albeit with clubs battling at the wrong end of the table. In 2020/21, the Wales international racked up 2,451 minutes in a Sheffield United side that went down without too much fight from the Premier League.
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Then followed a season in Italy with Venezia – and Ampadu’s time in Serie A went somewhat under the radar. He played 30 games in all competitions and in a variety of positions: centre-back, wing-back and indefensive midfield.
That he performed each role with assuredness and quality is a testament to Ampadu’s natural ability and maturity, something which was evident when he broke into the first-team squad at Stamford Bridge as a dreadlocked 17-year-old under Antonio Conte.
The years since have not always easy but Ampadu hasn’t given up nor has he lost hope. For now, he is focused on his journey and not his final destination. “Like every footballer out there, my dream is to be at the top,” he says in the bowels Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
“I don’t think that’s a bad thing to say and dream; everyone wants to be at the top. It’s about fighting and getting towards that. I just have to keep improving, keep putting my head down, fight and work every day. That starts in pre-season to try to get the chance.
“It’s hard to say [what is needed to reach the top] because I am not at the top, I’m not playing week in, week out for a team trying to win the Premier League and Champions League.”
Could that change this season? Perhaps. Ampadu spent last week training with the Chelsea squad in Los Angeles and caught the eye in the Blues’ pre-season friendly win against Club America in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Deployed for 45 minutes in the middle of the back three, Ampadu’s confidence to step forward with the ball and range of passing stood out. And not just to those watching in the stands and on Chelsea’s official app. Thomas Tuchel was impressed too.
The German said: "The position is a good position for him in the middle of the back three. He played a lot of vertical passes and did not play only left to right. He played through the lines with his passes and dribbles. So he was very active, and it was a good match for him. He is training well."
Ampadu’s priority for the season ahead is clear: he wants to continue playing regular football and develop his game further. That there is a World Cup to prepare for with Wales is an added motivation.The former Exeter City youngster has established himself as a mainstay in the Wales squad over the past five years, featuring regularly during his time out on loan at RB Leipzig, Sheffield United and Venezia.
“The World Cup adds something else but even If there wasn’t the World Cup, as a professional footballer you want to play. I enjoy playing and I want to be playing week in, week out. But the World Cup is definitely something you want to be going feeling fit and fresh.”
At Venezia, Ampadu showcased how invaluable he is to any head coach due to his versatility – and there was just one position he didn’t fill in Italy. “Fortunately not as a striker!” he laughs. On his last loan, Ampadu adds; “Everyone says and agrees that the only way you develop is by playing games and last season I was fortunate to play a lot of games week in, week out.
“So I learnt a lot about myself and definitely improved. So it’s just about taking that momentum and trying to carry on. I’m nowhere near to where I want to be yet so there’s still a lot way to go.
“I don’t think the country necessarily matters, I was happy to go anywhere to play football. That was in Italy and I enjoyed it out there. It’s one of the top five leagues, it’s a very good league. And it was a good experience. Yes, it was hard at times because we were losing quite a bit but I feel like it was a good loan.”
At the start of this week, Tuchel confirmed that three players – Billy Gilmour, Harvey Vale and Tino Anjorin – had left the Chelsea first-team group in the U.S. Armando Broja also flew back to England after suffering an injury in training.
Tuchel decision to slim down his squad was, in the German’s view, important to keep the quality of Chelsea’s training sessions high. That Ampadu has remained with the squad is an indication that he has caught Tuchel’s eye.
But it is more than four years since Ampadu took those formative steps at Chelsea. Does he still believe he can break back into the side? “Of course – I’m here aren’t I?” he says. "This club fights for everything: Champions League, Premier League. It’s all about fighting here and trying to get to the top.”
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