After hearing so much about his potential, Blues fans had the opportunity to see what the right-back is all about in the early weeks of Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at Stamford Bridge.

Although the 20-year-old was only among the substitutes for our first game of the season, he lined up for our next home fixture, against Luton Town, and certainly delivered. Gusto took to his task with relish and ended the match with two assists as we emerged with our first win of the season that night.

It was a breakthrough moment for the France Under-21s international, who signed from Lyon in January and joined up with the squad in the summer after finishing last season on loan at his former club.

“The Luton game was great,” Gusto recalls of his full home debut. “On a personal level, I was very happy with my performance, but I know there is more that I can improve on.

“The two assists that I made were great, but that was only a start. I want to continue being as decisive as I can moving forward.'

Gusto attempted to get on the front foot as often as possible after stepping into the side, making overlapping runs off the ball and frequently taking on his marker when in possession.

A full-back that can beat an opponent one-on-one opens up the game. And when one naturally takes up wide positions like Gusto, who isn’t averse to getting chalk on his boots, it stretches an opposition backline.

Chelsea have – and are likely to again – come up against deep-lying defences this season, and Gusto's attributes could be key in pulling those organised lines about and ultimately breaking through them.

But the France international is also aware that the position is about balance – and ensuring that he fulfils his defensive duties.

Perhaps that readiness to take players on comes from his formative years. Gusto played rugby when he was primary-school age and, although the kids played every position in those days, he had a penchant for the wing.

He was a 100-metre sprinter during the athletics season too, which comes as no surprise for a player whose covering pace is a vital part of his defensive toolkit.

“I started playing football quite late, when I was about 10,” he explains. “I’ve always loved sport but after doing rugby and athletics for a couple of years, football was my preference.

'I was born very close to the new Lyon stadium and I really enjoyed playing with my family and friends close by. I dreamed of becoming a big player.”

When he made the switch to football, Gusto played as a midfielder until he was 16 and took inspiration from Ronaldinho and Neymar. The latter name also brings up memories of his early days as a professional at Lyon, when he was tasked with marking the Brazilian forward in a game against PSG two years ago.

Gusto was 18 at the time, but he earned rave reviews for the way he kept Neymar quiet for the vast majority of the game, matching him for speed and tenacity, only to see his opponent awarded a soft penalty late in the game.

Despite the frustration that decision brought about, the French sporting media were full of praise for the teenage full-back. “I was really happy to play against Neymar as a young player because I had dreamed about having that chance one day,” he says.

“It was great to have such an experience so early in my career and I knew I wanted to go on and do more of that. Now I feel very confident in my ability to do that, and I know that I can go on to achieve great things.”

When asked what other teams and players he used to watch when he was growing up, Gusto gives a crowd-pleasing response. “To be honest, when I was younger I used to watch Chelsea games with my dad,” he says. “So to be here now is a pleasure. It’s great.

“I’ve got a lot of memories of Chelsea. The Drogba period had a big influence on me as a kid, and, more recently, I remember watching the Champions League win in 2021.

"I’ve always said Chelsea is a really big club and I think back to watching the big matches against Barcelona, especially the famous one in 2012. I hope now that Chelsea can continue to be such a big club going forward.”

Gusto has only been a right-back for four years, having initially switched to the position for Lyon’s Under-17s when the regular player in that role was injured.

It’s not an unusual story for full-backs, mind you, and many teenagers find their role on the pitch after being shoehorned in for a game at a similar age. His coaches immediately saw his potential as an attacking full-back.

More than anything, he is sharp – both mentally and physically – and he has the stamina to maintain that sharpness throughout 90 minutes.

As a youngster at Lyon, he faced the daunting task of trying to unseat the club captain, Leo Dubois, from the side.

In his first full season with the first team, he managed to do just that, sharing the berth with the experienced France international and ending up with over 30 appearances to his name as a teenager.

“I have to say I wasn’t afraid per se,” he says. 'For me, it was a big motivation that forced me to keep working hard and do my best. It’s the same here at Chelsea – I knew what was to come and it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m ready for it.'

This piece was first published in our match-day programme. You can order every edition of this season's programme by clicking here.