A sigh of relief for Chelsea fans! Jamie Gittens, the Blues' £48.5 million summer signing from Borussia Dortmund, has been given the green light to stay with England's Under-21 squad, easing concerns over a potential serious injury during their 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland. Gittens, who joined Chelsea in the summer, had to be substituted midway through the second half at St. Andrew’s, leaving fans and coaches alike worried. However, medical assessments revealed no serious issues, and he will now travel with the squad for Tuesday's Euro U21 qualifier in Slovakia.
The evening was eventful for Chelsea's Young Lions. Manager Lee Carsley started Gittens and fellow Chelsea youngster Tyrique George, with the latter scoring a late goal. Gittens was a central figure in the first half, winning a penalty after a skillful dribble and drawing contact inside the area. Despite a missed penalty attempt by Divin Mubama, who is on loan at Stoke City from Manchester City, England secured a lead through another penalty, converted by Mubama in the second half.
Gittens' injury was a result of a heavy fall after what appeared to be a foul in the box. While he initially appealed for a penalty, the referee waved it away. Gittens, visibly impaired by the challenge, avoided further involvement and was replaced by Josh King. However, subsequent medical assessments revealed no lingering issues, and he will now travel with the squad for the upcoming qualifier.
Chelsea has been battling injuries, with Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, and Mykhailo Mudryk all sidelined. The absence of wide players has been a challenge for manager Enzo Maresca. The addition of Gittens, who is gradually adapting to the English top flight, is a significant boost. Former Chelsea forward Florent Malouda believes Gittens will shine after the adaptation period, emphasizing the importance of confidence and belief in one's abilities.
'It’s a learning process,' Malouda told The Athletic. 'When you are so young and join a club like Chelsea, you have to build your confidence. The talent is there, it's how you perform at this level. You have to be fearless when you're young. The club believes in him, and he just needs to prove himself. With one goal or assist, Gittens can turn things around and deliver consistently. He can light the stadium on fire with one goal, and then it starts.'
Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho, who started against Wolves, has found his rhythm in attack. His mature performance, particularly his work without the ball, impressed Maresca, who noted Garnacho's evolution since joining Chelsea. Garnacho's physical condition had been a concern after arriving from a club with lower training standards, but he has made significant progress, now excelling both on and off the ball.
'Garna played a fantastic game on the ball,' Maresca said. 'But he was also top without the ball. We need our wingers to be like that. Garnacho arrived here with lower physical standards, but we've worked on that. Now he's doing very well on the ball and off the ball. He knows he has to be good in both aspects to play for us. We are very happy with his progress.'
