Chelsea: The 11 youngsters Thomas Tuchel could give a chance vs Brentford amid Covid and injury woes

Thomas Tuchel has reportedly promoted 11 academy stars to his Chelsea side amid a Covid and injury crisis which has left him without a host of first-team players.

The Blues were missing seven key men when they went away to Wolves on Sunday, yet Premier League officials still rejected their request to postpone the match.

Wednesday night's Carabao Cup quarter-final against west London rivals Brentford also appears to be going ahead, and reports claim Tuchel has called up a number of Under-23 and academy youngsters ahead of the tie.

Some of them could be in line to make their Chelsea debuts at the Brentford Community Stadium, so Sportsmail have taken a closer look at the 11 players in contention.

Harvey Vale

Vale, 18, first joined Chelsea at Under-13 level and went on to pen his first professional deal in September of last year after climbing the club's academy ranks.

The attacking midfielder, who registered seven goals and 11 assists in 28 academy outings last term, is considered one of the Blues' brightest youth prospects right now and has been named on the senior bench twice by Tuchel for Champions League and Carabao Cup fixtures against Malmo and Southampton.

Given Tuchel has been hit hardest by Covid and injury problems in attack, with Hakim Ziyech the latest to pick up a knock during Sunday's draw at Wolves, Vale could at least feature coming off the bench against Brentford to give the likes of Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic some much-needed rest.

Xavier Mbuyamba

Another academy hopeful who has made it onto Tuchel's bench in 2021/22, Dutch defender Mbuyamba moved to Stamford Bridge in August of last year after spending a season at Barcelona.

The 6ft 5in 19-year-old, who has been likened to compatriot Virgil van Dijk, is strong in the air and comfortable with the ball at his feet, encouraging attributes which earned him a place in the senior matchday squad for their Carabao Cup win over Aston Villa back in September.

After Trevoh Chalobah hobbled off injured at Wolves, Tuchel could turn to Mbuyamba at Brentford in order to save the likes of Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger for their Boxing Day trip to Villa.

Xavier Simons

Simons, 18, signed for Chelsea after leaving Brentford upon the closure of their academy programme back in 2016 and swiftly captained the club's Under-16 side to Premier League glory.

The Hammersmith ace operates mainly as a defensive midfielder, producing strong displays up at both Under-18 and Under-23 level, and was handed professional terms in February of last year.

N'Golo Kante was rushed back from injury earlier than expected at Wolves on Sunday with Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek out and, after Tuchel confirmed he will not risk the Frenchman against Brentford, Simons may fancy his chances of getting on the pitch.

Dion Rankine

Rankine, a speedy winger capable of playing on both flanks and at wing-back, left Cambridge and signed for Chelsea at the age of 14 back in 2016.

In the five years which have followed, he has worked his way up to the club's development squad, splitting his time last season with the Under-23s and Under-18s, and back in May he was rewarded with a new two-year contract after first penning professional terms in October 2019.

His ability to operate as a wing-back will be music to the ears of Tuchel, as both Marcos Alonso and Reece James have played plenty of football of late and could benefit from sitting out Wednesday's clash with Brentford.

Joe Haigh

The 18-year-old, who has been on Chelsea's books since Under-10 level, is a tricky midfielder whose tendency to run with the ball means he can also be deployed out wide.

Haigh spent the majority of his time with the club's Under-18s last term, before earning a call-up to the development squad late on in the campaign after scoring nine goals in 20 appearances for the younger age group.

While he is unlikely to feature at Brentford, after signing a new two-year contract in the summer, Haigh is clearly admired at Stamford Bridge and could earn himself a place on the bench.

Bryan Fiabema

Fiabema, 18, completed a move from Norwegian club Tromso IL in February of last year and put pen to paper on a professional deal when he turned 17 later that month.

The talented forward began his first campaign with the Under-18s and soon progressed to the Under-23s, scoring four goals in as many Premier League 2 matches and even collecting the Player of the Month award for October.

His potential is clear, but Tuchel's preference to play a sole striker at the pinpoint of his Blues attack may harm Fiabema's chances of debuting at Brentford.

Alfie Gilchrist

Signed from Queens Park Rangers as an Under-11, the Kingston defender is comfortable operating in either a back three or four and was duly rewarded with a pro deal during his first year with the Under-18s.

His fine form last term saw him named Chelsea's Scholar of the Year for 2021, and back in October he was handed a new two-year contract.

Gilchrist is rated highly at the club and has shown plenty of promise, though with Mbuyamba already making it onto the bench this season it would be a surprise to see him involved against Brentford.

Lewis Hall

Hall, 17, has been on Chelsea's books since the age of eight and has worked his way up to Under-18 level over the past nine years.

The left-footed midfielder, who came through the club's development programme, gets himself from box to box while operating on his favoured side.

He made nine appearances for the Under-18s last term, scoring one goal, and has also represented England Under-17s.

Josh Brooking

The defender, capable of playing at either centre-half or right-back, signed his first pro contract at Stamford Bridge during the 2019/20 season after joining from Reading a year earlier.

Brooking has become a key member of Chelsea's Under-18 outfit over the past year, racking up 21 appearances last season and bagging his first goal during a win over West Brom back in March.

Jayden Wareham

After spending time with QPR and Woking, the Ascot youngster secured a switch to Chelsea following a successful trial at the end of last season.

Wareham, who scored two goals in 22 games for Woking's first team, only made his debut for the Blues' Under-18s back in March before scoring on his second appearance against Aston Villa.

Teddy Sharman-Lowe

The 18-year-old goalkeeper has spent the last year on Chelsea's books after sealing a move from Burton Albion in September 2020, only to be loaned back to the League One club for the remainder of the season.

Sharman-Lowe featured in two EFL trophy matches and a Carabao Cup tie against Aston Villa before heading back to west London in January, and he was named as a substitute by Tuchel for the Blues' League Cup win over Southampton back in October.

Though while he has already made it onto the bench, the Leicester-born youngster would be a surprise inclusion against Brentford given Tuchel has £72million back-up goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga at his disposal when No 1 Edouard Mendy needs a rest.