Chelsea under the new management of Todd Boehly have shown commitment to investing in youth and building a team for the future, rewarding talent young players with long term contracts.
Players such as Renato Veiga and Marc Guiu have been brought in to build a youthful core. Alongside these purchases, Chelsea will also look to their Cobham academy for budding talent and prospects for the future.
One such player who’s been involved with the first team this season on multiple occasions is Tyrique George. He’s come into the spotlight after his performance in Chelsea’s 8-0 win over Noah in the Conference League.
Personal Life
Tyrique George, born on February 4, 2006, in London, England, stands as a product of Chelsea’s famed youth academy. At just 18 years old, the dual-nationality talent is eligible to play for both England and Nigeria. through certain family links.
“Starting for Chelsea, my boyhood club, was a great feeling,” George said in an interview after making his senior debut. Standing at 5’10″, the winger has shown promise as both a left-winger and an attacking midfielder.
Tyrique’s parents hail from Nigeria, and George is of Nigerian descent- which allows him to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The 18 year old also has a card on the recent edition of FC25, he’s a rare bronze card rated 64 and has been given the position as a left midfielder. His card boasts 81 pace and also 4 star weak foot and 4 star skill moves- high numbers for a bronze card.
Footballing Life
Tyrique George’s journey with the Blues started from a very young age, even before he touched double digits. Starting his career at Chelsea’s youth ranks, George joined the academy at the age of 8. His development continued steadily, and by 2021/22, he was representing England at the Under-16 level, contributing to his national team’s success. He was a part of the Val de Marne winning squad for that age group.
His development continued steadily, and by 2021/22, he was representing England at the Under-16 level, contributing to his national team’s success.
In the past George has also sported the armband playing for England at the U-16 level in a friendly against Italy- which England won 1-0.
In 2022/23, George made a major impact with Chelsea’s Under-18s, scoring and assisting in key moments. His standout performances included 28 appearances across all competitions, 18 of them starts. He scored 3 and assisted 3 in the U-18 Premier League.
By 2023/24, George had advanced to the U-18 and U-21 levels. In the Premier League 2 level, George managed to score 3 goals in the minimal minutes he got. Whereas in the U-18 Premier League, Tyrique George had 9 goals and 6 assists from just 14 appearances. He even made appearances for England at the Under-18 level.
So far this season George has played 13 games across all levels, with significant minutes as a substitute for the first team side as well. He’s yet to have an attacking contribution for the senior team but has bagged a goal and 4 assists in PL2. (Stats from Transfermarkt)
George wore jersey number 32 when he’s played for the senior side, but has worn the classic #7 and #11 jerseys when playing for the U-21 side. The natural course for the youngster will be to hopefully occupy one of those jersey numbers for Chelsea later in his career.
Chelsea recently extended George’s contract, in a new deal that keeps him at the club till June 30th 2027. The contract also includes an extensions option for a further year, potentially keeping him till 2028. George is represented by Elite Project Group Ltd. who also manage his lookalike in Bukayo Saka amongst many other stars.
Chelsea teammates Jadon Sancho and Romeo Lavia are also taken care of by the same group. George also has a transfer value around 400k according to FootballTransfers
Tyrique George is paid quite well when compared to academy salaries around the league, although he is playing first team football quite often. He has a weekly wage of £2,600 and a yearly salary of £135,200 according to SalarySport. The likes of Cesar Casadei and Alfie Gilchrist are on the higher end of the salary structure, earning £7,900 and £5,500 per week respectively.
Playing Style
Tyrique George’s playing style is one that excites Chelsea fans. As a right-footed attacker, he’s mostly deployed as a left-winger, where he thrives by cutting inside and unleashing powerful shots on goal.
George’s dribbling ability is impressive, as he can navigate tight spaces, beat defenders with quick footwork, and create chances for himself and his teammates. His first touch is solid, which allows him to control the ball and continue his attacking runs seamlessly.
His impressive rise was recognized by Chelsea manager who said, “He (George) was very good.”
George also spoke about nerves prior to his first start, “I knew I was starting a few hours before. Enzo [Maresca] was going through the line-up and said my name. I was just excited and couldn’t wait to make a good impression for the fans and for the manager. There were a few nerves, of course, but the excitement goes above the nerves.”
There also seems to be a relationship brewing between George and Nkunku. After the game against NOAH, George had this to say about Nkunku, “Christo and I had a good relationship down the right-hand side, so I really enjoyed it. It doesn’t take long to build relationships on the pitch. They are quality players so when you play with them it’s easy”
Tyrique also has the ability to deliver precise crosses, long passes, and shots with minimal backlift makes his actions on the ball difficult for defenders to predict. While he’s excellent at creating link-up play and contributing to the attack, there’s still room for improvement in his consistency in passing and defensive work.
As Tyrique George continues to develop under the guidance of Maresca, his potential is undeniable. But over the coming seasons it will take a lot for the youngster to find his place consistently in the starting lineup, as he’ll have to beat players like Neto, Sterling and Mudryk to the spot.