Chelsea have always been a difficult place for young people since Roman Abramovich bought the club. Despite an impressive academy, it wasn’t until the appointment of Blues top scorer Frank Lampard that things started to change. Five academy graduates renewed 25 appearances last season for the Chelsea senior team. No player on the team has made more appearances than Blues Player of the Year, Mason Mount. Reece James, who played for England against Scotland, is also in the top five on the list of appearances.

Needless to say, these aren’t just academy players. Any team in the world would need to spend money on quality players to improve the team. Unlike previous seasons, academy graduates now have the opportunity to prove that the club can count on them instead of spending huge sums of money. Among them, the Scotsman Billy Gilmour and the Welshman Ethan Ampadu. While Gilmour was part of the squad, Ampadu was loaned to Sheffield United.

However, the last few days have not been kind to the couple. Before we dive into the unfortunate scenarios the two find themselves in now, let’s dissect the scenarios they once thrived in.

Injuries and the presence of many experienced players in front of him meant that Gilmour didn’t have much of a chance to prove his worth. This came after the brilliant man of the match performances against Liverpool in the FA Cup and Everton in the Premier League respectively, just before the COVID-19 break of the 2019/20 season. A premature injury during the restart forced him to miss the start of the 2020/21 season.

Meanwhile, after impressing former managers Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri, Ampadu was loaned to RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, where his playing time was extremely limited. Although his minutes improved in the recently completed season, he played for Sheffield United, which set one of the worst records in Premier League history.

For these reasons, the upcoming preseason is vital for both of them to prove to Tuchel and the pecking order they can count on, as opposed to the players Chelsea are currently linked with. The Euro gives them the opportunity to set the tone in front of the whole world before returning to Cobham. This is exactly what the duo have done so far. Ampadu was impressive as a second-half substitute against Turkey for Wales. His maturity with and without a ball has been praised by many. Two days later, it was Gilmour’s luck. In his debut, the young Scotsman received the Man of the Match award and was universally praised for his performance against England.

Just as things started to improve for the couple, the two were hit with bad luck. Ampadu, who looked solid against tournament favorites Italy, was sent off hard on Sunday. As a result, he will be suspended for Wales in the round of 16. Even if they win, he might not get his place back. On Monday, the Scottish FA announced Gilmour had tested positive for COVID-19 and now he will have to isolate himself for at least 10 days. This could mean their tournament could be over, unless Scotland reach the final stages.

With players like Declan Rice and Aurélien Tchouameni linked with a move to Chelsea, this was their chance to stand out on the world stage ahead of the preseason. The performances so far could have done the job for them, but more outstanding performances at Euro 2020 should have put them in a very promising position ahead of the 2021/22 season. Unfortunately, they will probably no longer have that luxury.

The status of the two Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell for England’s last Euro 2020 group stage game has also been called into question. The couple are self-isolating after coming into close contact with Billy Gilmour. Fortunately, their places in Chelsea’s first team are cemented.