What became of the three Chelsea players Jose Mourinho tipped for stardom in 2014?

Nine seasons ago, then-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho tipped three of his players to go onto to stardom. Here’s what happened to them.

During his second spell at Chelsea, in the pre-season of what was to be a Premier League-winning 2014/14 campaign, Mourinho made a rather big prediction about three Chelsea players.

The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ said: “My conscience tells me that if, for example, [Lewis] Baker, [Izzy] Brown and [Dominic] Solanke are not national team players in a few years, I should blame myself.

“They are part of a process the club started without me. At this moment, we have players who will be Chelsea players. And when they become Chelsea players, they will become England players, almost for sure.”

So here’s what happened to the trio.

Lewis Baker has spent virtually his entire career out on loan, having featured for Sheffield Wednesday, MK Dons, Vitesse, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Reading, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Trabzonspor.

The former England U21 international would go on to play just twice for Chelsea, with both appearances coming eight years apart in the FA Cup, before signing for Stoke City on a permanent deal in 2022.

So far, Baker has played 71 times for Stoke, having scored 17 goals and claimed seven assists.

Meanwhile, Izzy Brown also spent much of his Chelsea career out on loan, with spells at Vitesse, Rotherham, Huddersfield, Brighton, Leeds, Luton and Sheffield Wednesday.

The forward didn’t make the grade at Stamford Bridge and signed for Preston on a free transfer in the summer of 2021.

However, injuries meant he was released a year later without making a single appearance for the club.

Brown ultimately announced his retirement from professional football in April 2023 after enduring two Achilles injuries and a problem with his nervous system.

Speaking upon announcing his retirement, Brown told the Athletic: "Everything is new to me now. The world is new now I’m not seeing it from a football perspective.

“I can go and enjoy things I’ve never been able to enjoy before and go to places I never got a chance to go to. I’m going to take some time for myself and have a think if I want to be involved in football again. Football was my dream. It still is my dream. But dreams have to end one day.”

Solanke ultimately went on to make his England debut against Brazil (Getty)

Finally, Dominic Solanke left Chelsea in 2017 with one 17-minute Champions League cameo to his name against Maribor.

After a loan at Vitesse, he left the Blues for Liverpool in 2017, only to go on an infamous goal drought of 26 matches.

Solanke then moved to Bournemouth for around £19million in January 2019, with his 29 league goals firing the Cherries back to the Premier League in the 2021/22 season.

Solanke has been instrumental to Bournemouth since their promotion.

Moreover, Mourinho did get it right when he said the Reading-born striker would play for England.

Solanke made his Three Lions debut back in 2017 when he played 15 minutes in a friendly against Brazil at Wembley.

While he is still waiting for his second cap his current form could see him force his way into Gareth Southgate's plans.

Topics: Football, Chelsea, Premier League, England, Jose Mourinho

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.