Chelsea kicked off their pre-season campaign in the early hours of the morning, drawing 2-2 with League One side Wrexham at the Levi’s Stadium in California.
Goals from Christopher Nkunku and Lesley Ugochukwu saw the clash end level in new boss Enzo Maresca’s first game in charge of the Blues.
Although it was only a pre-season friendly, there was a flash point in the opening stages, which saw youngster Levi Colwill have an altercation winger James McClean, after the Irish forward made an unnecessary challenge on the defender.
Whilst at a glance, the result may seem disappointing, it was a great opportunity for the Italian boss to analyse his squad and hand valuable first-team minutes to many of the young talents owner Todd Boehly has invested in.
One of the youngsters made a huge impression on the fanbase, potentially staking a claim his claim for a place in Maresca’s squad for the 2024/25 campaign.
Angelo’s stats against Wrexham
After joining the Blues for £12.6m back in the summer of 2023, Angelo spent the last 12 months on loan at French outfit Strasbourg, where he made 25 appearances in Ligue 1.
However, he’s been included in Chelsea’s tour of the US, coming on for the second half in the draw with Phil Parkinson’s side.
During his 45-minute performance, the Brazilian forward produced some impressive numbers that could see him be a hit at Stamford Bridge in the upcoming campaign.
The 19-year-old completed 22 passes at a completion rate of 73% – also having 36 touches – showcasing his calmness on the ball despite his tender age.
Angelo Gabriel vs Wrexham
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He also completed 100% of the dribbles that he attempted, demonstrating his ability to run with the ball – potentially handing Maresca another option in the final third during his first season at the helm in West London.
Despite being an attacker, Angelo also produced some excellent defensive stats for the Blues, winning 50% of the duels he entered, winning one tackle – with the Brazilian working tirelessly to make a good impression on the fanbase and Maresca.
| Angelo’s stats for Chelsea vs Wrexham | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | Tally |
| Minutes played | 45 |
| Passes completed | 22/30 (73%) |
| Dribbles completed | 1/1 (100%) |
| Duels won | 2/4 (50%) |
| Tackles won | 1 |
| Touches | 36 |
| Stats via SofaScore | |
Although it’s only pre-season, it was an excellent display from the teenager, which saw him handed a 7/10 match rating by journalist Bobby Vincent, which could allow the Blues to walk away from any potential deal for a player constantly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
Why Angelo could allow Chelsea to forget about Williams
In recent weeks, Chelsea have been constantly linked with a move to sign Athletic Bilbao’s Spanish winger Nico Williams this summer.
Their interest in the youngster is hardly a surprise given his impressive form at Euro 2024, which saw him register two goals and one assist at the tournament – including the opening goal in the showpiece victory over England.
Williams currently has a £48m release clause in his current contract, but Barcelona are also interested in the forward – potentially seeing him link up with Lamine Yamal after the duo set the European Championships alight this summer.
However, Angelo has huge potential to be a success in the Premier League, albeit while needing consistent game time to reach his full ability levels.
Williams’ potential arrival in London would only hamper his progress at the club, with Angelo showcasing in pre-season that he has what it takes to be a part of Maresca’s plans.
It may still be early days in his career at Chelsea, but if Boehly’s philosophy of investing in youth is to be a success, the club must start to slowly integrate their new additions into the first-team, with the Brazilian possessing all of the qualities to be a hit under the Italian.
