Ex-Chelsea scout Robinson: Why I rejected Sancho, Gomez and Alli

An ex-Chelsea scout has admitted that he passed up on many talented young players.

Chris Robinson worked at the Stamford Bridge club for many years, starting in 2012 and becoming head of integration recruitment in 2015.

After leaving in 2023, Robinson has been forthcoming about his hits and misses as a scout.

He stated that he passed up on the opportunity to sign Dele Alli, Joe Gomez and Jadon Sancho.

Robinson told Rising Ballers: "This is a bit embarrassing for me.

I was watching an England game on TV and one of my sons phoned me up and said: 'You do realize you said no to three of these players who are playing for England?'

The players were: Dele Alli, who I saw when he was playing first-team football for MK Dons at 17 and I didn't feel he was better than we already had at Chelsea in Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Lewis Baker.

"Was I right? I was at the time, I believe. Dele was a different shape, he was heavier, more of a central midfield player.

"He went to Spurs and blossomed as a player. Lots of other scouts at Chelsea came to the same conclusion, so it wasn't just me.

"Joe Gomez, when he was at Charlton at 16 or 17. I thought he was a great athlete, I didn't think he was a great footballer.

"He's gone on and done OK, hasn't he? And Jadon Sancho. I saw Jadon when he was an under-14 playing as a striker for Watford.

"I thought he was all right, just OK. He signed for Manchester City almost straight after and we knew City were interested. He became a winger there and the player he later became for Dortmund."