Joe Cole can see comparisons with Fikayo Tomori and former Chelsea defender William Gallas.
The youngster spent last season on loan at Derby County under Frank Lampard having come from the academy at Stamford Bridge.
Alongside the likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tomori has established himself as a first-team regular for Chelsea this season.
Tomori has already made six Premier League appearances for Chelsea, earning himself a regular starting berth in the absence of Antonio Rudiger, who has struggled with injury.
His impressive performances also earned Tomori an England call-up for their latest EURO 2020 qualifiers early in October.
After such an impressive start to his fledgling Chelsea career, Cole has explained the similarities he sees between Tomori and Gallas and also outlined how he feels the defender can continue to improve.
"He reminds me a lot of a young [William] Gallas," the former Chelsea man said, speaking as a pundit on BT Sport's coverage of the Blues' clash with Ajax in the Champions League.
"We talk about his development, for me, it has been absolutely perfect.
"He had had his whole youth career in the academy, then his first six months at Derby with Frank and then Ashley Cole has come in to play next to him for six months.
"Ash [Cole] used to speak to him every game, you couldn't think of a better way to be educated and become a top-class centre-back.
"This ball [against Southampton] is a little bit sloppy and that's why Frank [Lampard] calls him his project player because he is going to get better.
"He will get even, even better and all these little things will get ironed out."
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