The underrated Chelsea transfer that will save Alonso millions

Chelsea may have endured a mixed start to the 2026-27 season, but there is no doubt that lessons have been learned from their transfer failings in recent years.

The Blues addressed their lack of experience with the signings of Jordan Henderson, Danny Welbeck and Emiliano Martinez, while they added a much-needed superstar attacker in the form of Morgan Rogers, who arrived from Aston Villa for a club-record fee of €138 million.

The most unheralded change, however, was their use of the loan market.

Chelsea have a storied history of sending academy starlets on loan to the EFL, with the likes of Tammy Abraham, Reece James, Levi Colwill, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori all spending time in the Championship before cementing their place in the Blues’ first-team.

Since the arrival of BlueCo, though, the west London giants have instead favoured keeping their talented youngsters in the building, with a focus on performing well in academy competitions.

However, this approach was altered over the summer and Chelsea reverted back to their former strategy of exposing their best academy prospects to senior football.

Shumaira Mheuka, Landon Emenalo, Reggie Walsh, Harrison Murray-Campbell and Jesse Derry are among the youngsters currently out on loan from the Blues, while the best-performing loanee has almost certainly been Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, who has shone for Portsmouth in the Championship.

Ryan Kavuma-McQueen is Chelsea’s next superstar winger

Kavuma-McQueen scored 13 goals and provided four assists in 26 youth-team games for Chelsea last season and while he is undoubtedly a sublime talent, it was seen as slightly risky to send him on loan to a lower-tier Championship side following the difficulties faced by Harvey Vale in a similar move during his time at Stamford Bridge.

However, the 17-year-old has eased any fears over the move thanks to outstanding start in a Portsmouth shirt.

He scored his first goal for the club against Lincoln City in late August and after back-to-back appearances on the substitutes bench, he grabbed an assist in a stunning display during their 2-2 draw versus Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon.

Kavuma-McQueen was the outstanding attacker on display at Fratton Park, taking a whopping 10 shots, with four on target, and causing constant problems for the Blackburn backline.

After the game, one Portsmouth fan posted on X: “Can’t wait to tell my grandkids Ballon D’or winner Kavuma-McQueen played for Pompey. I was like Rio Ferdinand every time he touch the ball yesterday what a player gets me off my seat every time he’s on the ball.”

Meanwhile, a second said: “Kavuma-McQueen is going to be an epic player,” and a third added: “Adams Man of the Match a robbery. Kavuma McQueen by a mile.”

The England youth international doesn’t turn 18 years old until January, yet he is already at home in the Championship and has quickly established himself as one of the division’s most electrifying wingers.

A left-footed attacker, Kavuma-McQueen is capable of playing on either flank, but his most potent displays in a Portsmouth shirt have been on his natural side, which could give Xabi Alonso a tactical edge once the teenager works his way into the Chelsea team given the lack of left-footed left wingers at the top-end of European football.

Kavuma-McQueen is the real deal and given the current market for quality forwards, he will save Chelsea millions if he is able to continue his development and eventually become a mainstay in the Blues starting XI.