When Todd Boehly assumed ownership of Chelsea and oversaw a Premier League record summer spending spree of £270m, Stamford Bridge brimmed with optimism ahead of a purportedly illustrious new era, but seasonal fortunes have been anything but fruitful.

The Blues have collapsed like a shack with no foundation, and are mired in the obscurity that comes with mid-table mediocrity, also out of both domestic cup competitions and trailing Borussia Dortmund 1-0 after the first leg of their Champions League knockout tie.

An exorbitant January surge took Chelsea's total expenditures to over £550m in less than a year, with manager Graham Potter's copious ranks in west London as yet failing to gel together as anticipated.

Amid all the affluence, arguably Chelsea's best player comes in the form of veteran stalwart Thiago Silva, who has been a remarkable presence for the outfit since arriving on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.

The 38-year-old has made 109 total appearances, including 27 matches this season, notably instrumental in winning the 20/21 Champions League and shining among the dirt that has smirched his club's current campaign.

With the veteran colossus injuring his knee ligaments in Chelsea's recent league loss against rivals Tottenham Hotspur, sights must be set on the consideration of a replacement over the coming years.

While 17-year-old defender Travis Akomeah might be too young to warrant a place in the side at present, his precocious talents could allow him to take Silva's throne in the future, and the Brazilian's recent injury is a poignant reminder that he is in the twilight phase of his career.

Could Akomeah really be Chelsea's next Silva?

Akomeah has forged 17 displays for Chelsea's youth outfit after being snapped up from Watford's development squad and was hailed as "talented" by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who confirmed the transfer.

According to The Guardian's latest annual 'Next Generation' list, Akomeah is considered one of the foremost formative talents right now, indeed hailed as the club's most promising prodigy for his age band.

Previous Blues to make the Guardian's list include Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tino Livramento, while salient prodigies Bukayo Saka and Jason Sancho also welcome Akomeah into esteemed company following their past inclusion.

On Chelsea's official website, Akomeah is praised with adulation for his skills: "He is a very exciting central defender who has a great physical and imposing presence on the pitch. In addition to this, he is very comfortable with playing out from the back."

His ball-playing prowess is a particularly arresting element to his game, with Silva revered for his passing attributes, ranking among the top 2% of defenders for attempted passes per 90 and the top 5% for pass completion, as per FBref.

The 113-cap Brazilian was even praised by CBS Sports' Ben Jacobs for a "sublime" defence-splitting assist at the 2022 World Cup, playing at a level that belies his age.

And considering the former PSG titan has racked up a career average of 1.5 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game, via WhoScored, the robust and 'imposing' Akomeah is in perfect hands to absorb the fruits of his distinguished peers' labour.

Indeed, the aforementioned report from The Guardian furthers the argument that there is a great semblance between the pair, with David Hytner writing: "A centre-half of great physical attributes who is comfortable playing out from the back."

Journalist Manu Heredia also lauded the Cobham star as "very promising", praising the Blues for beating the likes of Liverpool to the ace.

And given Silva's stature as one of the finest centre-backs of his generation, perhaps even in the history of the great game, Akomeah must absorb his knowledge and craft, bide his time, and finally announce himself as the precocious and unparalleled replacement for Chelsea's sagely star man.