Chelsea academy coach Neil Bath is delighted seeing Sam Hutchison win a new 18-month deal.

The young defender had effectively returned last season due to chronic injury. But was given a chance by Chelsea this term and hasn't looked back.

Bath told chelseafc.com: "Sam signed a one-and-a-half year contract and should he make progress, we anticipate there could be a further contract but he is still going through the very end stages of rehab and he is still not training with first-team-type loading in terms of intensity and demands.

"The plan is that Sam will gradually build up training intensity going into January.

"He was coaching a little and realised that the pain wasn't there anymore and although it is fantastic news because we have a player who has been with us since he was seven who we thought had retired, it is a case of every six weeks, let's visit where we are at.

"It is looking good that he will have a professional living in the game but we have to stay patient with the plan."