Chelsea defender ‘set for exit’
Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne looks set to be on his way out of the club. The centre-back is said to have handed in a transfer request, according to The Mirror. The 22-year-old has spent the last two seasons on loan at rival English Premier League (EPL) team Wolverhampton Wanderers, where manager Mick McCarthy is reported on making the player’s move permanent.
McCarthy is believed to be ready to enter a bid of £4 million for Mancienne, who has three years remaining on his contract with Chelsea, but is reportedly facing a battle with La Liga teams Málaga Club de Fútbol and Sevilla Fútbol Club as well as Sporting Clube de Portugal to acquire the 22-year-old’s services.
However, it is not yet known whether Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti will allow the England youth international to leave his squad. Established central defender Richardo Carvalho has stated his wish to link up with his former Chelsea and Porto manager, Jose Mourinho, at Real Madrid. Given that the Portuguese player is 32 years old, Chelsea may wish to cash in while the defender is still a saleable asset. Should Carvalho’s move take place and Ancelotti be unable to find a suitable replacement, he may force Mancienne to remain at Chelsea as back-up for captain John Terry and his likely central defensive partner, 28-year-old Brazilian Alex.
Youth career
Mancienne has not enjoyed the strongest of careers at first-team level for the Stamford Bridge club, but was a promising youth player. He was spotted by the club’s scouts as a nine-year-old and began playing for the Chelsea reserve team while still at school. He signed a professional contract with the club in January 2006 and was named among the squad for the final game of the 2005-06 season, though he was an unused substitute. He found himself again on the bench at the start of the 2006-07 season for games against Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers, and felt as though he may need to move on for the sake of his career.
He joined Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers (QPR) on loan for the remainder of the season. Although he played the majority of his 28 games at right-back, he was able to appear a few times at his preferred position in central defence. His displays caught the imagination of the club’s fans, who named him their Young Player of the Year. After signing a contract extension with his parent club, he returned to QPR for the 2007-08 campaign, playing 30 games.
With first-time opportunities proving difficult to come by at Chelsea, he once again went out on loan in October 2008, this time to Wolverhampton Wanderers. He signed with the Championship side until the end of December and played ten games for the club. He had been due to extend the loan, but paperwork was never completed and he had to return to Chelsea. He rejoined Wolves for the 2009-10 season, once again on loan. This time, he played 30 games for the club, impressing in both central defensive and defensive midfield roles.
Mancienne has represented England at Under-16, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 levels. Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce had mentioned that Mancienne reminded him of a young Rio Ferdinand, with his robust defensive qualities and quick pace. In November 2008, England manager Fabio Capello named Mancienne in the senior squad to face Germany in a friendly in Berlin. The player did not feature in the match, meaning he is yet to receive a full international cap for his country. He has been a regular at Under-21 level since 2007 and was part of the team that reached the 2009 European Championships.
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