Chelsea fable John Terry has claimed young defender Alfie Gilchrist "reminds maine of myself" aft being overlooked by brag Enzo Maresca.
Gilchrist has emerged arsenic 1 of the club's brightest talents aft coming done the academy and earned 17 appearances for the Blues nether Mauricio Pochettino past season.
However, helium wasn't capable to impressment his successor Maresca successful pre-season arsenic helium was sent to the club's "bomb squad" of players not included successful the Italian's first-team plans - earlier being shipped retired to Championship broadside Sheffield United connected loan.
Gilchrist has been a regular look for the Blades this season, starting 13 of their 15 games successful the Championship and helping them scope 2nd successful the array arsenic they oculus an instant instrumentality to the Premier League.
The 20-year-old volition anticipation his displays astatine Bramall Lane person not gone unnoticed arsenic helium bids to claw his mode into Maresca's squad adjacent play and Terry has talked up the player's ability, saying helium sees similarities to himself aft moving with him arsenic a Chelsea younker coach.
He told the Daily Mail: "Literally from the archetypal grooming league successful which I saw him, helium reminded maine of myself. He was keen to learn, asking maine questions astir defending and perpetually picking my brains implicit what I would bash successful antithetic situations.
"And he’s 100 per cent successful everything helium does. Whether that’s the warm-up to get him going, he’s all-in. You don’t ever privation to take that away. Even connected his betterment days, he’s 100 miles per hour. As helium gets older, he’ll recognize however to negociate that and however to be. But it’s a large trait to person for a young subordinate and it tin surely acceptable you apart.
Image:
Chelsea FC via Getty Images)"If you’re astatine Chelsea, you’ve got large quality successful the archetypal spot to beryllium there. But it’s truly important for younger players to person that mentality and Alfie had that successful abundance adjacent from an aboriginal age."
Gilchrist has immoderate mode to spell to scope Terry's level - aft the erstwhile nine skipper won 5 Premier League trophies, 5 FA Cups and the Champions League, playing 717 times successful full and becoming 1 of the club's top ever players.
But Terry tipped him for occurrence and believes Gilchrist volition person his sights acceptable connected breaking into the archetypal squad of his beloved club.
"Hopefully, helium comes backmost to Chelsea and breaks done into our team," Terry added. "When you spot the journeys of these young players, and you play a tiny portion successful helping them, it’s truly rewarding for me, being Chelsea done and through.
"I emotion it. Alfie and each of his household are Chelsea, too, truthful I cognize heavy down helium wants to travel backmost and interruption through."
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