As Todd Boehly looks to cement the future of Chelsea by bringing in the best young players around and attaching them to huge seven or even eight-year contracts, his scouting searches have become a bit more of a cultured of late. In the summer, the signing of Jamaican 17-year-old Dujuan Richards turned heads.
If that wasn't obscure enough, the acquisition of 16-year-old Ecuadorian Kendry Paez has put more eyes on Chelsea. In turn, it's brought more attention to the recent talent factory of Independiente del Valle – a club that has produced a number of top Ecuadorian prospects including Moises Caicedo.
Richards and Paez joining such a big organisation like Chelsea shows that perhaps the patterns of scouting have changed – and potentially how the game has become brilliantly taught and expanded upon in a number of countries in the Central and Southern American federations.
How good is Kendry?
As said, the young Ecuadorian Kendry, is an example of football's global brilliance. The talent is out there, you just have to take a finer look.
Since Chelsea have been monitoring the Independiente bright spark – he's scored a brilliant free-kick (seen below). Plus, he's even become the youngest South American to score in a World Cup qualifier with his strike against Bolivia in the 2-1 away win in La Paz.
As if the prospect of Kendry wasn't good enough after his agreed £17.27m deal – another South American has signed for Chelsea, and already he's made brief inroads with the reserve side.
Who is Deivid Washington?
Deivid Washington is an 18-year-old, 6 foot 2 Brazilian forward. Chelsea signed him from the infamous Santos, a club known for generational Brazilian talents, for £17.1m on a hefty seven-year-deal. Now, the price tag is merited – we think.
On the youth scene in Brazil, Deivid was so prolific he forced his senior team debut at just 16 in 2022.
How good could Deivid Washington be?
The video above, as well as super scout Jacek Kulig, suggest that Washington's key attributes have the potential to mould him into an ideal modern target man.
Kulig's deeper reported thoughts are constantly reinforced by the 18-year-old's performances. Dubbing the Brazilian as having a likeness to former Blues forward Nicolas Anelka, he wrote of the Santos star's key abilities.
Attributes like his pace, link-up play, first touch, dribbling, and athleticism all got filed under 'strong'. Even better, it seems from Kulig's intensive viewing that finishing, instinct, off-the-ball movement, technique, and bravery are all ranked as 'very strong'.
His numbers in the Santos youth ranks, as per Brazilian sources, were dazzling. In a season that effectively forced the signing of his first pro contract – Deivid topped the scoring charts in the Campeonato Paulista Sub-17 with 16 goals.
Also, since 2021 – the striker played with the U20 Santos side – and between state and national tournaments, he scored 17 times.
When his first-team breakthrough came after Santos' Campeonato Paulista 2023 elimination, he managed two goals in nine appearances before moving to Chelsea. Now, of course, youth and senior football obviously differ – yet when looking at FBref's stats in that brief spell there are promising glimpses and points to work on.
In the brief senior Santos showing, Deivid took 17 shots, with only seven of those being on target. It's not the best, however, given the average range of 17.8 yards he shoots from – it's just inside the area. Perhaps his shot choice could be better and decision-making could be better in crowded areas.
Saying that, his 3.58 shots per 90 lead to a reasonably positive xG of 1.7 per 90. Several aspects Kulig underlined as an improvement, came as follows:
"To improve:
– finishing and general operating with his weaker left foot
– better use of his height in aerial duels/heading situations
– tends to shoot from unprepared positions "
These suggestions make the shots on target being under 50% feasible, but this will likely come with time in the Premier League 2 side; a team he already has a 100% one-in-one goal-to-game ratio for.
This constant improvement in a better-developed academy, as well as a plethora of goals scored back in Brazil draw confidence from only point Washington in the right direction. It'll be exciting to see if Mauricio Pochettino utilises the youngster alongside Paez and co when his squad has fully gelled.