5 Rising Academy Stars for Chelsea Fans to Keep an Eye On

For the second time this season, we saw Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Nathaniel Chalobah and Ola Aina all gracing the pitch together in first-team action for Chelsea against Peterborough United in the FA Cup.

The first occasion was against Leicester City in October, with manager Antonio Conte using his team's third-round clash against the Posh on Sunday to give his younger players more game time to establish themselves.

Chalobah and Loftus-Cheek started in the 4-1 thrashing at Stamford Bridge, with Aina later joining the pair as a second-half substitute.

It all bodes well for how Conte is integrating Chelsea's young talent with a team full of global stars.

We've known about the likes of Loftus-Cheek for some time now, though, so what about those players who are under the radar and not spoken about as much? Do Chelsea still have a production line of exciting players who could one day make it into the first team at Stamford Bridge?

Bleacher Report identifies five youngsters for Chelsea fans to keep an eye on in the coming years.

Martell Taylor-Crossdale

Watch the short video clip above of Martell Taylor-Crossdale, and in just a few seconds you will see what the young striker is all about.

He turned 17 on Boxing Day and has much more development time ahead of him. That said, he has the raw talents to suggest he can follow in the footsteps of what we're seeing from Tammy Abraham right now.

Abraham is on loan with Bristol City in the Championship, but his goalscoring form suggests he may be ready to break through under Conte next season. In a couple of years, Taylor-Crossdale will be hoping he is part of a similar conversation.

He has rapid pace and is strong, bulldozing his way past defenders at times. That physicality doesn't take away from his skill, with the 17-year-old good with his feet and a major threat.

His return of 13 goals in 16 appearances for the under-18s this term outlines his predatory instincts.

Trevoh Chalobah

The younger brother of Nathaniel, Trevoh Chalobah is a player in the same mould of his sibling.

That's not a lazy comparison based on bloodlines. Watch the younger Chalobah and you will see with his frame and posture that he isn't too dissimilar to his 22-year-old brother.

Nathaniel is 6'1", which usually suggests a player who is gangly and not always in control of his body; Chalobah Jr. is anything but.

Whereas Nathaniel plays in central midfield, Trevoh sits further back in defence. The 17-year-old has played as a right-back or centre-back during his time at Chelsea, but don't let that fool you as to his footballing ability. He is comfortable in possession and can get forward to link up play and be a threat in the opposition half.

He reads the game well and has been a big part of Adi Viveash's development squad this season, making 16 starts, which is only equalled by Jay Dasilva, who recently joined Charlton Athletic on loan.

Ike Ugbo

Ike Ugbo was the player we chose as the main image to lead us into this slideshow. It was for good reason as he is among Chelsea's best up-and-coming talents.

The striker's goal return perhaps doesn't show that this season, as he has scored just six for the development squad, although that does leave him as the team's leading marksman.

What there is to admire about Ugbo is his presence up front. Everything about him screams professional footballer, with the way he leads the line and bullies defenders. He's an intelligent striker and demonstrates an understanding of how a player in his position needs to impose himself.

The 18-year-old scored twice in Chelsea's EFL Cup campaign this season, with his first strike against Exeter City (above) a peach. It was an instinctive goal; he picked up the ball on the edge of the box and wasted little time in smashing it into the top corner.

The technique was exquisite and it speaks of a player who has a bright future.

Mason Mount

Whereas we've celebrated the raw physicality of some of Chelsea's rising stars, Mason Mount is the opposite. He's slight of frame and not cut out for top-end professional football right now.

He needs to mature into his body if he's to have a chance of making it in the Premier League. When that time comes, though, he'll have the one component every player craves—skill.

Mount is an exceptional young player. He's one of England's best prospects when we consider just how effective he is in the final third. He can play box-to-box, but he is also creative enough with the ball at his feet to carve out openings for those around him.

He has an end product in attack, and for midfielders such as him, that's the currency in which they trade.

Mount doesn't score tap-ins, either. He has a knack for a wonder goal, and if he keeps that up, he will achieve much more than fame on YouTube highlights reels.

He turned 18 on Tuesday, so the next 12 months will be vital in his development.

Dujon Sterling

We get the feeling English football is going to be talking about another young Sterling soon. Unrelated to Manchester City's Raheem, Dujon Sterling has everything in his repertoire to make a similar name for himself.

He's tenacious, with skill and pace to burn that frightens defenders and attackers who come up against him. He was influential in Chelsea's FA Youth Cup run last season, and with four goals for the development squad this term, he's having a similar impact for Viveash.

Sterling only turned 17 in October, outlining just how talented he is. Chelsea have shown faith in his ability by fast-tracking him through the age groups, and he hasn't let his coaches down.

He's versatile, playing in a variety of positions in defence and midfield. He has also played as a striker at times.

Looking at the qualities he has, Sterling looks a strong prospect as a wing-back or inside forward, operating in the areas we have seen Eden Hazard and Pedro so effective in this term.

Obviously, he has much to do to emulate his senior club colleagues, but the early signs are that he has the potential to do that.

Sterling is progressing well and is a fine talent; expect to hear more from him.