Chelsea have reportedly barred Liverpool scouts from attending academy matches at their Cobham training base, according to The Athletic.
The Blues have also rejected accreditation requests from Manchester United scouts, raising concerns about growing tensions between some of England’s top football academies.
Liverpool have accused Chelsea of being the first to introduce such restrictions, a claim the London club has firmly denied.
According to Liverpool, no Chelsea scouts have been blocked from attending academy matches at their Kirkby base, but they warned that should Chelsea scouts apply for access in the future, their requests could be denied in retaliation.
Chelsea’s decision is believed to be a direct response to Liverpool’s recent recruitment of 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who was regarded as one of the brightest prospects to emerge from Chelsea’s academy in recent years.
Despite frustration at Cobham over Ngumoha’s move to Liverpool, the transfer was approved after a thorough five-step review process mandated by the Premier League for youth transfers.
Under the Premier League’s youth development rules, clubs are required to allow scouts from rival teams to attend academy matches, provided they are notified at least 24 hours in advance and have proper identification.
The Reds, therefore, view Chelsea’s actions as a breach of these regulations.
The situation may be further complicated by recent changes within Chelsea’s academy leadership.
Over the past year, prominent figures such as Neil Bath and Jim Fraser have left the club. In their place, Glenn van der Kraan, formerly of Manchester City, has been appointed as the new academy technical director, with Jack Francis becoming director of academy football operations.
Additionally, Delroy Ebanks, who was previously with Newcastle United, has been named head of academy recruitment.
These shifts in leadership could be influencing Chelsea’s more protective approach to safeguarding their academy talent.
The Athletic also reported that representatives from Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United met last week in an attempt to resolve the situation.
However, discussions ended without a breakthrough, leaving the issue unresolved.
This ongoing dispute over scout access highlights the intense competition surrounding youth development in English football.
As the situation evolves, it remains to be seen whether a resolution will be reached or if the rift between these top clubs will deepen, potentially impacting recruitment strategies and relationships moving forward.
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