Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has praised Chelsea loanee Ethan Ampadu and believes he has all the qualities needed to be a modern-day midfielder – something Frank Lampard appears to agree with.
The young Wales international initially struggled for game time after moving to Brammall Lane on loan but injuries and John Lundstram’s refusal to sign a new deal have opened up a new role for him in the side.
Despite predominantly playing in defence in is career so far, Ampadu has been deployed in midfield alongside Sander Berge, impressing against Liverpool, and Wilder says Lampard has long seen his future in a holding role.
Asked about how much Ampadu hit it off alongside Berge in midfield against Liverpool last time out, Wilder said: ‘Definitely. The game has moved on, you have to be so mobile as a professional footballer now.
‘Mobility is a key word that everybody uses because of the mobility and athleticism in other teams, so I believe that was the right formation for us – obviously we changed it when we really had to go for it second half.
‘The game does become a bit stretched but when you’ve got the likes of Sander and Ethan, the way they get about the park, it gives you a little bit more security.
‘I thought Ethan’s performance was outstanding. I know the manager at Chelsea sees him as a sitting midfield player.
‘But I thought both of them were outstanding last Saturday night [in midfield]. But mobility really is key. They’ve got to be able to handle the football, they’ve got to be able to tactically put themselves in good positions – which they both did for a young age.
‘They’re both learners, they’re both very enthusiastic about learning, about getting better, they’ve got a huge appetite for that.
‘But the game is moving on and it is a mobile game and players have to get about the park, and we’ve certainly got players that can do that and certainly those two possess those qualities.’
