Ola Aina: Super Eagles defender flies out with Chelsea on the pre-season tour of Australia with a point to prove
Does Ola Aina stand of a chance of getting into Chelsea's first team under new manager Sarri?
After a disappointing summer which culminated in being dropped from the Super Eagles squad to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Ola Aina is heading into a new season with Chelsea with a point to prove for new manager Maurizio Sarri.
Aina started his career at Chelsea from the U11s and made his youth team debut as a schoolboy in the 2012-2013 season.
Five years on, he has made it through the grades but yet to get his chance with the senior team which is expected with Chelsea’s huge financial power and their hostile demand for success.
With the ruthless desire for titles at Chelsea, managers have over the years looked to get established stars rather than bring in players from the youth team.
Despite having one of the best youth teams in England, Chelsea have not looked to young players for solutions, rather splashing the huge cash for stars from all over the world.
This has prevented the likes of Aina from a chance with the senior team.
A chance with Sarri?
Sarri’s arrival at Chelsea, however, offers hope for the young converted winger who now plays as a full-back.
The chain-smoking Italian often describes himself as himself a 'field manager' and also claims to be 'bored by the transfer market' and said a coach's task was 'growing the players'.
He has the records to back it up too.
Kalidou Koulibaly was an error-prone defender and deemed not good enough but when Sarri took over at Napoli, he stuck with the Senegalese and improved him through a series of intensive sessions. Under Sarri, Koulibaly improved to become one of the most-sought defenders in Europe.
Sarri also met Faouzi Ghoulam at Empoli and also tutored the Algerian to become one of the most exciting full-backs in the world. He took the defender along with him to Napoli and is reportedly about to bring him to Chelsea.
Elseid Hysaj who also followed Sarri from Empoli is also now courted by the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.
Aina who is already on the plane with Sarri and Chelsea to their Australia for a pre-season tour has to seize this chance and impress Sarri.
He has the qualities to have a role in Sarri’s set-up. He possesses lots of pace, and has the energy that suits the demands of the modern game and approach that Sarri loves.
At the moment, another loan move for Aina is more feasible, but he has a chance to show Sarri that he can be tortured to elite levels.
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