Mauricio Pochettino is keen to give academy talent a pathway to Chelsea's first team

Mauricio Pochettino has promised to leave the path to Chelsea's first team for academy graduates who have proven themselves well enough.

The manager has given debuts to six players under the age of 20 this season, including a defender Levi Colville who became an England international after appearing in all but one of Pochettino's games at Stamford Bridge.

Alex Matas, a 19-year-old forward who signed from Norwich in the summer, was not used as a substitute in Saturday's 2-0 win against Sheffield United having done his own thing Major league made his debut in October against Fulham.

There were also Chelsea's nods for academy graduate Bashir Humphries, 20, Brazilian forward David Washington, 18, defender Diego Moreira, 19, and Mason Burstow, a 20-year-old forward who has signed with Charlton in 2022.

With a long injury list continuing to limit Pochettino's options, the depth of the first-team squad has been tested despite a whopping £1billion spent on recruitment over the past 18 months.

The manager singled out Matos in particular for praise and stressed the need to keep young players at the club, believing their path to the senior team will not be blocked by signings.

“His (Matas) personality, his character is always so focused,” Pochettino said. “Of course he is talented with potential. He really impressed me with his focus in everything. He is so smart, always watching, always smiling.

“It is difficult to compete with the players of the main team. But he's really competitive, he's really strong. He will kick you and smile at you.

“It's nice to have such a profile. I am happy with him. The academy has huge talent in all the different teams.

“After four or five months we have had the opportunity to assess them all and I think we have a lot of young, talented players who, in time and given the opportunity, can reach Chelsea's level.”

Pochettino's side host Newcastle in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday as the club seek a first trophy since winning the Champions League in 2021 under former boss Thomas Tuchel.

The manager, who is yet to win silverware himself during his time in England, losing the final of the competition to Chelsea in 2015 when he was Tottenham boss, stressed the importance of the game and hinted at a dramatic change from the win against the Blades.

However, youth development remains a mainstay of his philosophy as he continues to rebuild London's west side.

“The challenge is also to improve the young players who have arrived, for example Romeo Lavia or David Washington,” he said. “But also the players who come through the academy, we take great care of that. We love the work they do there at the academy.

“There is talent, now we need to create potential. They have to believe they can make the first team. It's not just about signing young players. It's about giving academy players an opportunity if they deserve to be involved.”