Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori feels his success this season is thanks to his breakthrough occurring alongside his fellow academy graduates.

The 22-year-old has been with England striker Tammy Abraham at Chelsea since he was seven years old, and has known Mason Mount since he was 12, while Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi are also part of the close-knit group.

He told the Mirror: “It definitely helps that there's a few of us together, we came through together, we sit together, we talk before the games, gee each other up, talk about what we want from each other.

“If it's me and Tammy then I'll say to him: 'when I get the ball, make this run…'

“It was an opportunity. We could have easily come in for pre-season, me, Callum, Mason, Reece and Tammy, and not been ready or when the season came we didn't perform then the manager could have so easily left us on the bench. But we all saw the opportunity to play and we took it.

“We talk with each other, made sure that we were all on it and, when the games came, to make sure we made a difference and be ready to make an impact on the team."