Antonio Conte insists he would pick an Academy player for Chelsea's first team on a regular basis if they had a player special enough.
Conte's use of young talent at Stamford Bridge has come under scrutiny since he took over last year and increased over the summer.
Despite complaining about a small squad, Nathaniel Chalobah and Nathan Ake were sold to Watford and Bournemouth respectively, while Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Lewis Baker and Ola Aina have all been loaned out.
Conte points to the fact he selected Manchester United star Paul Pogba for Juventus when he was just 19 in 2012 as evidence that he does give top emerging players a chance if they merit it.
He said: "If there are young players who deserve to play regularly and give me a good feeling, then why not? I put Pogba at 19 into the team, for (Claudio) Marchisio. Not a simple player.
"But you must have these type of possibilities, players who are ready to play regularly with Chelsea, a great team. Otherwise it's very difficult to make this decision."
Conte is keen to stress he did use some of the youngsters last season and has already played 21-year-old defender Andreas Christensen twice this term.
He thinks Chelsea have players with promise, but believes the club won't be able to compete for the title if he plays them in the first XI week after week.
The 47-year-old added: "You must decide if you want to fight for the title or develop your young players. Two different ways.
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“Is it possible to do both? Yes, if the young players are ready and are strong enough to play regularly. Pogba, I repeat, played at 19 for me. Why not this?
"But show me young players who deserve to play regularly for Chelsea and I'm ready to pick them.
"Don't forget my first game in Serie A, I was only 16. I'm the first person open to do this because another coach did this with me. But, I repeat, you must have the possibilities to do this. Not to invent (them).
"The question is this: Manchester City and other clubs, are there players from the academy playing regularly? I don't know.
“It's very difficult to find (in England). Now, Marcus Rashford (at Manchester United). That's one player who has shown he is strong physically, fast technically, and a really good player. But it's not easy.
"Now Christensen, after two seasons on loan to develop himself in Germany, stays with us. But he has to fight with David Luiz, Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger to play. But if there is the possibility to play, I'll put him in.
"Last game he played. Against Burnley he played after 14 minutes. I'm the first to be ready to do this.
"But it's very important the young players are ready to play. Otherwise you provoke damage to the players. Also to the club and the team.”
On Sunday Chelsea play Everton, who gave Wayne Rooney his professional debut at the age of 16.
Conte claims the striker would have been given the same opportunity if he was the same age and coming through the ranks at Stamford Bridge now.
Chelsea's history shows that John Terry, who made his debut in 1998, remains the last Academy player to progress into a first team regular.
When asked if a young Rooney would have had a chance at Chelsea, he argued: “Yes, for sure.
"Rooney showed his potential when he was 16 and not only did he keep his level, but he improved it. We're talking about an icon of football in general. But it's not easy to have many Rooneys. It's (rare).
“Young players must be ready, must be good to play with a great team, to play regularly. Usually in this type of football, there is a path for the young players.
"It's very difficult to see players when they are 16, 17, 18 years old playing regularly. And they have to develop and then come back to play regularly with a great team. This is the right way.
"I repeat, I like to work with young players. Last season, if you saw our squad, we had eight players from the Academy and we won the League with eight players from the Academy, and 14 or 15 senior players.”