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Football London
Football London
Sport
Scott Trotter

The emphatic reminder of a Chelsea legacy that will outlast Roman Abramovich following Luton win

In the days and weeks to come there is sure to be a lot of recognition and debate over what Roman Abramovich's Chelsea legacy will be.

From the 'Chelski' moniker and one of the hottest seats in elite world football, to a vast amount of success over nearly two decades at Stamford Bridge - whether the Blues owner's contributions are tantamount to sportswashing or if he had genuine affection for the club, Chelsea have benefitted and been elevated to the top of the world stage.

In announcing his intention to sell, Abramovich has left a great deal of uncertainty. The 55-year-old noted that: "The sale of the club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid."

Given the £1.5billion debt the Blues owed Abramovich, it's not an unsubstantial gesture, but whether any new owner has a philosophy even close to the Russian in their spending or approach remains to be seen.

While it's the money he has sanctioned on grand transfers such as Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner that saved the day in the FA Cup fifth round against Luton Town, they are not the standout stars of the present or the future for the Blues.

While Werner put the cool finishing touches on Chelsea's second goal, academy-product Ruben Loftus-Cheek played the exquisite ball to create the chance on his way to the man of the match award.

In the starting XI he was joined by fellow Cobham graduates Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Off the bench came Reece James and 18-year-old Harvey Vale, while Lewis Hall was also part of the squad alongside new development addition Dylan Williams.

It was an FA Cup clash against lower league opposition but the likes of Mount and James have made themselves indispensable to Chelsea, while Trevoh Chalobah has had a breakout season this year too.

The Blues have an academy that is the envy of much of Europe, and that has started to consistently develop stars for the first team and the rest of the Premier League. Loanee Armando Broja struck well against West Ham on Wednesday evening to add to the Cobham success and guide the Saints to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

While the bravado of Jose Mourinho and high profile signings like Didier Drogba, Hernan Crespo and Claude Makelele are predominantly associated with the arrival of Abramovich it wasn't long until the academy set up received investment.

It took just 12 months to see that the Blues would have to move from their Harlington base and to commit to upgrading to the current training facility at Cobham. It's an area that has undergone significant development continuously since 2004, with the building proper opening in 2007.

Marina Granovskaia is said to have orchestrated much of the move and has since risen to the very top at Stamford Bridge.

Much like the facilities, Chelsea's progression in developing young talent has also improved. The likes of Josh McEachran, Scott Sinclair and Gael Kakuta were early, high profile names that failed to make it into the first team. The latter two players, purchased later in development.

Now, Chelsea identify talent early and nurture it. Hall, for example, at 18 has already been with the Blues for around a decade.

The players developed have not just been for Chelsea to use however, and have seen success at the highest level. Fikayo Tomori, Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Nathan Ake, Tammy Abraham, Jack Cork, Ryan Bertrand and more cut their teeth on the Surrey pitches.

While developing talent for the first team is the dream, it has also formed part of a sensible strategy moving forwards.

The Blues have earned £175million from selling academy players since July 2015, the highest of any Premier League side and 21% of the total earned from transfers by the club.

It will be a key part of the club becoming sustainable, though the focus on development will need to remain to keep finding success that can reach the top.

More than anything though, continuing to see Chelsea developed players impact first team results will bring as much joy as trophies for some.

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