According to Football.london, Premier League newcomers Sunderland, Scottish heavyweights Rangers, and Championship duo Middlesbrough and Stoke City are all interested in signing the 19-year-old, with all four having recently held club-to-club talks with the current UEFA Conference League holders. Samuels-Smith’s career thus far has been entirely focused on the youth teams, with the dynamic youngster appearing in Chelsea’s U18 and U21 squads, as well as Everton’s U18 squad.
If he moves on loan this summer, he will make his professional debut, and Middlesbrough might be in the driving seat thanks to a number of names on new manager Rob Edwards’ coaching staff who are well-versed in training young players at Stamford Bridge.
Harry Watling and Adi Viveash’s background in the Chelsea academy
The appointment of Rob Edwards as Middlesbrough’s new manager this summer was delayed due to a few issues with the 42-year-old’s backroom personnel. In the end, Edwards was able to bring on board former Coventry City assistant Adi Viveash and former Ebbsfleet United manager Harry Watling to help him, both of whom had spent time in the Chelsea academy.
Watling’s coaching career began at Cobham Training Centre. He started working as a development centre coach with the Blues in 2009, when he was 19 years old, and he stayed there until 2014. Viveash, on the other hand, spent six years teaching various Chelsea junior teams, three as U18 manager and three as U21 head coach, before leaving in 2017 to become Coventry City’s assistant coach under Mark Robins.
During their three years at Chelsea, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Nathan Ake, and Andreas Christensen all progressed through the youth system before becoming first-team regulars. Viveash has overseen the development of players such as Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher, and Reece James, to mention a few, and is certainly a gifted coach when it comes to producing outstanding young athletes. So, not only are the two ideal candidates to assist Rob Edwards in the Riverside dugout, but they also have a solid reputation at Chelsea for nurturing the Blues’ young players.
Rob Edwards’ assistant pairing could hold the keys to exciting Chelsea loan deal
While it has been eight years since Viveash left Chelsea, and even longer since Watling left, their status as previous employers at the Premier League club may allow Middlesbrough to take Samuels-Smith on loan for the 2025/26 season. Samuels-Smith will ultimately have the final say, but you’d expect Chelsea to give him advice on where he should go to increase his prospects of joining the first-team squad at Stamford Bridge when he returns. Enzo Maresca has a fantastic track record of introducing youth players to the Chelsea squad, making debuts for eight different young talents in his debut season.
Chelsea academy players to make their first team debuts under Enzo Maresca – per Transfermarkt
Player
Made debut against
Date
Tyrique George
Servette
29th August 2024
Samuel Rak-Sakyi
Noah
7th November 2024
Ato Ampah
Astana
12 December 2024
Shim Mheuka
Astana
12th December 2024
Kaino Dyer
Astana
12th December 2024
Harrison Murray-Campbell
Shamrock Rovers
19th December 2024
Genesis Antwi
Copenhagen
13th March 2025
Reggie Walsh
Djurgardens IF
1st May 2025
So the 19-year-old full-back should be hopeful that wherever he goes, he can make an impact on the field and develop into a player capable of playing in the Premier League. If it happens in Middlesbrough, Boro fans may be able to thank their manager’s helpers.
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