'How have Barca let him go?' Meet Chelsea's 18-year-old future 'star'

He is by nary intends nan only Chelsea youngster to drawback nan oculus successful nan Conference League this season, but Marc Guiu was nan sanction connected everyone's lips aft nan Blues' latest comfortable triumph successful nan competition.

The 18-year-old was nan standout performer successful nan Blues' 5-1 triumph complete Shamrock Rovers connected Thursday, scoring a first-half hat-trick to thief Enzo Maresca's squad apical nan convention shape and support their flawless grounds successful nan competition.

Guiu ruthlessly capitalised connected Darragh Burns' loose header to unfastened nan scoring earlier intercepting Daniel Cleary's under-hit backmost walk and finishing from nan tightest of angles for his 2nd goal, which restored Chelsea's lead aft Markus Poom's equaliser.

And nan teen completed a well-taken treble successful first-half stoppage time, getting connected nan extremity of Noni Madueke's precise transverse and guiding a header into nan acold area for his sixth convention shape extremity - much than immoderate different subordinate successful nan competition.

The Spanish younker international, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona successful nan summer, was replaced by Joao Felix connected nan hr people - but this was unquestionably Guiu's night.

"My thought pinch Guiu is, really person Barcelona fto him go?" erstwhile Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole told TNT Sports. "This kid - successful 2 years' clip - could beryllium an established number nine."

"I deliberation Barcelona person made a mistake."

To opportunity that Guiu deed nan crushed moving aft breaking into nan Barcelona first squad would beryllium a awesome understatement.

The La Masia postgraduate made an instant effect aft coming connected successful nan 79th infinitesimal of Barcelona's La Liga lucifer against Athletic Bilbao successful October 2023, scoring conscionable 33 seconds later to gain Xavi's squad a 1-0 victory.

His way to nan elder broadside was overmuch little straightforward, however. Impacted by aggregate maturation spurts during his teenage years, nan frontman was not ever a regular starter astatine younker level.

"He missed a batch of games," Albert Capellas, Barcelona's erstwhile adjunct head of younker football, told Sky Sports earlier this year. "He could not train.

"What happens astatine a batch of clubs, if you cannot train aliases play, possibly you person to leave. [But] astatine Barcelona, we cognize nan level of nan players, we springiness them time."

The Catalan club's patience played into Guiu's hands. He made a further six appearances for nan elder squad successful 2023-24, scoring again successful a 3-2 conclusion by Royal Antwerp successful nan Champions League.

"Marc Guiu is simply a finisher," added Capellas. "[He] is not a subordinate who has unbelievable skills 1 against one, who tin dribble past players. He is different type of player, but he is exceptional successful his position. He has nan chemoreceptor to people goals."

Barcelona are believed to person attempted to region Guiu's humble £5m merchandise clause from his statement by offering an extension, but Chelsea activated that clause successful June earlier signing nan youngster connected a five-year deal, pinch an action of a further twelvemonth astatine Stamford Bridge.

Guiu whitethorn person been fixed a helping manus pinch 2 of his 3 goals against Shamrock Rovers, but he displayed nan predatory small heart of a seasoned frontman to capitalise connected those first-half errors.

His 3rd of nan evening - a header from Madueke's transverse - was almost nonchalant.

"It was instinctive," said Cole, reflecting connected nan 18-year-old's treble. "I liken him to [former Barcelona, Liverpool and Uruguay striker] Luis Suarez.

"I'm not saying he's Suarez correct now, but he has that small heart and bravery.

"This kid tin people goals. He tin beryllium a large prima for this club."

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, scorer of Chelsea's 3rd goal, was conscionable arsenic effusive successful his praise of his young team-mate.

"I've ne'er seen anyone property for illustration him," he said. "He ne'er slows down."

Despite appearing successful each Chelsea's Conference League games this play - including nan qualifying play-off against Servette - Guiu's chances person been constricted domestically.

He has not played successful nan Premier League since nan Blues' 2-0 nonaccomplishment to champions Manchester City successful their opening game, erstwhile he replaced nan injured Nicolas Jackson.

He was a second-half substitute successful nan Blues' 5-0 Carabao Cup triumph complete Barrow - but their fourth-round exit astatine nan hands of Newcastle denied Guiu further opportunities to impressment successful that competition.

It has been a different communicative successful Europe, however, pinch Guiu averaging a extremity each 47 minutes successful nan Conference League convention shape - nan champion grounds successful nan competition.

His six goals person travel from 19 shots, earning him an awesome conversion complaint of 32%.

Jackson's rich | vein of shape successful nan Premier League and Christopher Nkunku's goalscoring exploits successful nan Conference League whitethorn person delayed a due first-team breakthrough, but Maresca suggested it is only a matter of clip earlier nan teen is fixed a chance to radiance connected a much regular basis.

"He is simply a spot unhappy arsenic Nicolas and Christopher are doing well," nan Italian said aft Thursday's win.

"When you are a 9 and different 9 is doing well, it is simply a matter of being questioned. It's important that they activity difficult day-by-day.

"Then they [will] get a chance."