In a poor season for Chelsea, one bright spark has been the emergence of Lewis Hall, with the 18-year-old seemingly set for a promising future at Stamford Bridge.

The teenage defender will not have to look far back for his inspiration at Stamford Bridge, with Ashley Cole establishing himself as one of the best left-backs in the world during his time with the Blues.

Who is Chelsea starlet Lewis Hall?

Despite only turning 18 last year, Hall already has eight appearances for Chelsea under his belt, having made his debut in the FA Cup win against Plymouth Argyle last season, where he also managed an assist in an impressive first outing for the senior side.

He has gone on to feature five times in the Premier League this season and twice more in the cup, so he is clearly in Graham Potter’s long-term plans at Stamford Bridge.

The return of Ben Chilwell from injury has meant that the young defender has been featuring more regularly for the U21s in recent weeks, with the former Leicester man competing with Marc Cucurella for a starting spot in Potter’s first team.

However, it seems clear that Hall is already far too good to be playing in the Premier League 2, as he has three goals and four assists in just 13 appearances in that competition so far this season.

The 18-year-old also looks to be incredibly versatile, as he has featured across the defence and midfield during his time at Chelsea, even featuring as an attacking midfielder and left winger on occasion.

In true Cole-like fashion, his attacking qualities are clear to see, as he has seven goals and seven assists in just 34 appearances for the U21s, with all the signs suggesting that he could make it as a first-team regular in the future.

Potter was full of praise for the youngster after his performance in the 2-0 defeat by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.

He said: “I really enjoyed his performance. He took responsibility, took the ball in tight areas, attacked the box, and could’ve scored a couple of goals on another day. So it was a really nice performance, a mature performance I thought. He is a quiet lad but goes about his work. I’ve been really impressed with him.”

Hall has also caught the eye of club legend John Terry with his performance in that game, with the former centre-back complimenting his display on Twitter.

If the teenager can live up to his potential at Stamford Bridge, there seems no reason why he can’t become a mainstay on the left, as Cole did, following in the footsteps of a player who would win the Champions League, Europa League and Premier League during his time at Chelsea.

The Englishman made 337 appearances for the Blues, contributing seven goals and 37 assists in that time, and will rightly be regarded as one of the best left-backs in history.

While Hall’s versatility suggests he could feature in a number of positions for Chelsea in the future, his promising displays as a left-back thus far suggest that he is aiming to emulate Cole’s legacy at Stamford Bridge.