It’s perfectly clear now why Celtic wanted to take Charly Musonda from Chelsea in the summer as he starred against Nottingham Forest.
Charly Musonda could hardly have made a better impression on his first ever start for Chelsea in their 5-1 EFL Cup thrashing of Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
Drilling home a clinical finish late in the first half, the Belgian wonderkid fought back the tears as he celebrated with unbridled emotion in front of the supporters that had been clamouring for some time for the youngster to get his chance.
“For sure he’s a talented player,” manager Antonio Conte told ESPN of the 20-year-old after a virtuoso performance that his compatriot Eden Hazard would have been proud to call his own.
Of all the talented youngsters to emerge and depart from Chelsea in recent years, Musonda appears to have everything required to become the first to force his way into the first-team since a certain John Terry back in the late ‘90s.
And, as Musonda ran the show against Championship opposition, it was immediately clear why Celtic were so keen to take him to Parkhead in the summer, as reported by The Mail.
The Scottish champions would certainly have offered Musonda more regular first-team football and the chance, like Manchester City loanee Patrick Roberts, to hone on the potential that undoubtedly makes him one of the Premier League’s most promising youngsters.
However, Musonda may have just proven to Conte that he can make the grade at Chelsea – and sooner than anyone expected.
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