Malo Gusto may have missed Chelsea's last three matches due to suspension, but the 20-year-old has been called up to the senior French side for the first time this week after some positive displays in west London. The Lyon youth product has been handed an opportunity after Joules Kounde pulled out of the squad, with injuries ensuring he has earned plenty of time on the pitch at Stamford Bridge in the early stages of his Chelsea career.

The young full-back was signed in January but returned on loan to Lyon for the remainder of the 2022/23 season, though he did spend some time around Cobham while injured. Gusto joined up with the squad in the summer and has looked a capable deputy for Reece James.

That is not a role that Gusto appears happy to settle for however. The defender has made five starts since James picked up an injury following the first game of the season.

Gusto told RMC: "We give each other a lot of advice, he tries to help me and I try to help him as best I can. On the pitch, it’s war, he knows it very well, we don’t necessarily give each other any favours and it’s the best who will simply play."

The full-back arrived in a period of turnover for the Blues, with Mauricio Pochettino arriving at the club following a disappointing end to the season. No shortage of young players have been added to the squad, and Chelsea's start to the 2023/24 season has been slow to get off the ground with the the west London side currently sitting 11th in the Premier League. Nevertheless, Gusto has noticed the change in level since arriving.

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"You feel like it's another level," he said. "Starting your career at Lyon is something big, something I've always dreamed of. But when you arrive at Chelsea, with a locker room like that, it's strong. When you are a young player, you try to fit in as best as possible and show that you can play and claim to be a great player.”

Gusto has not been surprised by the current transition at Stamford Bridge and he remains confident that club is on the right path. He added: "Before signing for a big club like that, you think and find out about the situation. I wasn't necessarily surprised, the club managers told me that it was a long-term project that could take time. time to get started.

"Little by little with the team, we are trying to create a real group that will move forward together to put Chelsea back where they need to be and win everything." There has been a growing French contingent at Chelsea with Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi and Lesley Ugochukwu all also arriving at the club this summer. Something Gusto has found beneficial.

He said: "We get along well, we try to help each other as much as possible. We all hope to play together in the same team."

It is a veteran who has impressed the Blues star however. Thiago Silva has played professional football longer than some of Chelsea's first team have been alive. At 39, he still proves an inspiration to Gusto.

The youngster said: "He's one of the greatest defenders in the world. He's always on top, focused on what he's doing. Seeing that he's always giving it his all is something that's beautiful and inspires me a lot."