Swansea City boss Brendan Rogers has expressed his interest in prising Chelsea starlet Josh McEachran away from Stamford Bridge with a loan move in January.

“He is a player with great vision. He is a wonderful footballer, but again he needs to play in a certain system. A positive for us is that people at Chelsea’s level see Swansea City as a place where players can come and develop.” said Rogers, someone who knows McEachran well from his time as Chelsea Youth Team manager, under Jose Mourinho’s tenure at the club.

Since Carlo Ancelotti affirmed his commitment to promoting youth players to the Blues’ first team. Partly due to his belief in this system and partly due to the Russian sailor’s knot Roman Abramovich had tied in his purse strings, youngsters such as Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt and Daniel Sturridge found themselves regularly warming the Stamford Bridge bench. However the introduction of Andres Villas Boas to the Chelsea dugout, as well as a return to form from Frank Lampard has ensured that playing time has been limited for the youngster, who is tipped with an outside chance of making England’s World Cup squad for 2012.

Josh McEachran. Born to Scottish parents (mitts off Craig Levein!), McEachran was snapped up from a youth team in his hometown of Oxford at the tender age of 8.

The left-footed youngster, who can play either left side central midfield, has come on leaps and bounds in the past year – an improvement that’s not gone unnoticed by England’s coaching staff.

Having starred as his nation won the European U17 Championships earlier this year, McEachran has seemingly bypassed the Under 19s – making his U21 debut as a substitute against Germany in Febrauary.

To put the icing on the Chelsea bun in what has undoubtedly been an incredibly successful twelve months for the Blues’ youngster, McEachran also made his first-team debut last September for his side’s away Champions League tie with MSK Zilina. His 79^th minute substitute appearance making him the first player born after it was rebranded in 1992 to feature in the competition.

But not only does he have a great first-touch and an ability to play a pass through the eye of a needle, the youngster has a footballing brain to boot – gaining him plaudits from the very top of the game.

It hasn’t been just bit-part cameos in matches the Blues have already sewn-up. Ancelotti entrusted McEachran with helping his side chase the games against Manchester City and Sunderland, as well as trying to gain maximum points at Villa Park.

And whilst the newly promoted England U21 man has impressed on each showing, it was his performance against Newcastle in the Carling Cup that really got Chelsea fans’ heads turning. Despite the 4-3 home defeat, the performance of McEachran was a real shining light for the Stamford Bridge crowd.

Despite his tender years – and easily being able to masquerade as an Under 12 squad player – Chelsea fans were stunned by the starlet’s composure, level-headedness, decision-making, confidence and ability.

But not only does he have a great first-touch and an ability to play a pass through the eye of a needle, the youngster has a footballing brain to boot – gaining him plaudits from the very top of the game.

Both Sir Trevor Brooking and Jamie Redknapp have been singing his praises in the press, whilst Ancelotti said after the Newcastle game, “He is very young but he showed fantastic ability and quality. If we need him he is ready to play the Premier League and the Champions League.”

Having been likened to Chelsea stalwart Lampard, the young midfielder admits his aim is to emulate the former West Ham man. “Chelsea say to me ‘look at Frank Lampard’. I need to get into the box more,” he told the club’s website.

Whilst McEachran’s captain and the last player to break through the Chelsea ranks, John Terry, believes the youngster has “amazing ability and can open defences with a pass.”

New boss Villas Boas has recently reaffirmed Ancelotti’s initial faith in McEachran, claiming “This is a youngster with so much talent, I see in him very much as part of the future  of this club.”

It’s high praise for such a young man, but if McEachran can continue his development and gain some experience from a loan spell which appears to be on the cards, there is not telling what a quality player he could go on to be for the blues.

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