ETHAN AMPADU is on a mission to force his way into Frank Lampard’s Chelsea plans next season.
The Blues teen star, 19, is highly-rated and on a season-long loan at Bundesliga outfit Leipzig.
Ethan Ampadu has started to feature more regularly for RB LeipzigCredit: Getty – Contributor
Ampadu had a slow start to his stint in Germany but has made three appearances in the last month.
The classy midfielder has also enjoyed success on the international stage after helping Wales qualify for next summer’s Euro 2020 finals last Tuesday.
And Ampadu, who could face Benfica in the Champions League tonight, aims to keep impressing Lampard with stand-out displays away from Stamford Bridge.
Ampadu said: “I want to show I don’t have to go on another loan, go back to Chelsea and hopefully play more minutes there. That’s the aim. It’s what I want to do.
“At the moment, I have to train well, improve and get in the team and hopefully that will come for me for the next few years.“
Ampadu’s belief is driven by Chelsea’s new youth policy under Lampard this season.
Tammy Abraham, 22, Mason Mount, 20, and Fikayo Tomori, 21, have all shone in the first-team with the Blues flying high in third spot in the Premier League.
Ampadu insists Lampard’s faith in young players has given him confidence over where his long-term future lies.
He added: “There is positivity around Chelsea with all the younger players playing and it gives you a good feeling about it.
“Even last year or the year before when it was supposed they weren’t playing young players you always wanted to be the one.
“Because we’re all the same age we want to see each other do well. Of course you want to be on the pitch. They are good players.”
Ampadu, who joined Chelsea from Exeter in the summer of 2017 for a fee of £2.5million following a tribunal, can play either central midfield or centre-back.
The Welshman, son of ex-Arsenal midfielder Kwame, says his idols are John Terry and Sergio Ramos.
Ampadu told JD Sport’s Talking Tekkers: “I was a Chelsea fan (growing up) and played centre-back some times so I would look at John Terry and the way he defended.
“I like Sergio Ramos because he’s clever. I’m attracted to that because he just wants to win and that’s what I want to do – win games. He’s a winner and I want to be a winner.”
Ampadu has made 12 first-team appearances for the Blues – one less than for his country.
He added: “I’ve still got a long way to go. I’ve got a lot of mistakes to make because that’s the only way to improve. I wouldn’t say I have made it yet.
”I’ve still got improvements to make like getting physically stronger to be able to compete in the Premier League but that will come with age.”
Should Ampadu stay injury-free, he will get the chance to shine at a major tournament for Wales after the 2-0 triumph over Hungary in Cardiff secured qualification.
And he has hailed national boss Ryan Giggs ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2020 draw in Bucharest for also giving youth a chance.
Ampadu said: “He’s a good guy. He’s put a lot of faith in the youngsters. I’ve had quite a few opportunities.
“It gives you a level of confidence and you want to give back and you want to play well to win the games.”
Giggs plans to visit Ampadu in Germany soon.
The Wales boss said earlier this month: “I wanted to go out there for a few days to see him in the build-up to a game, but it hasn’t worked out.
“Myself and Albert (Stuivenberg) will go out there. Leipzig got off to such a good start it was difficult for him to get in. But when you get your chance you’ve got to take it.”
Chelsea ‘alarmed’ at Ethan Ampadu’s lack of game time and could recall midfielder from RB Leipzig loan
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
