Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is determined to develop a new breed of players "made in Chelsea."
With key players such as John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard coming towards the end of their careers and new UEFA regulations on monetary fair play due to affect transfer dealings, clubs are looking to develop their own talent.
Mourinho has been keen to praise the likes of Nathaniel Chalobah, currently on loan at Nottingham Forest but told he will be part of the Chelsea first-team next season, and he is looking to bring a crop of new players through their academy.
"Ideally it's not just about having British players either, but having players who are made in Chelsea," he told The Guardian.
"In three or four years' time, if we don't have other Englishmen to replace this nucleus of players - when Lamps is 39, John is 36 - I will be very sad. Every club needs that. So we are working on that (new generation)."
Terry, Cole and Lampard are out of contract at the end of the season but Mourinho admitted he was happy with the rejuvenation of club captain Terry.
The defender has suffered a number of career lows since the end of Mourinho's first spell at Stamford Bridge in 2007, including the racism row, twice losing the England captaincy and missing a penalty in the 2008 Champions League final. But Mourinho believes he is returning to his best form as Chelsea look to regain the Premier League crown they last won in 2009-10.
"Even I was questioning, from far away, what was happening to this guy: physical problems, psychological problems, what is going on?" added Mourinho. "I'm happy he's proving he's still a top player."
