The centre-back was outstanding alongside Trevoh Chalobah in our second Premier League Summer Series contest against Newcastle United in Atlanta the other night.

It was a huge test for the 20-year-old, who made his debut in January earlier this year against Manchester City. He coped with it professionally, and reaped the rewards of putting in such hard work Stateside.

‘This is the first pre-season I have done fully, for one reason or another. I always heard things about what pre-season was like, like you do this and that. But this is it.

'In terms of getting bullied in training everyday, it is a mental challenge,’ he said. 'Especially within the group, to keep that mentality strong because no one really wants to do it. It isn’t stimulating, it’s not fun.

‘Like hurt ball [also known as murder ball] is so hard, harder than the running we’re doing but it is more fun and stimulating. Yesterday, doing box-to-box running, it was a mental challenge. In that way, this is real. I am finding it so, so tough,’ he added.

‘Right now, I am fully focused on playing for Chelsea.’

In January, Bashir went on his first loan spell, to German side SC Paderborn, and he spoke of the things he learnt while living across Europe.

‘In Germany, I was living with my girlfriend in a flat, and the city was quite small compared to London. I got the experience of playing in a new division, and new country. I learnt a lot.’

Bashir also outlined one player he has been enjoying getting to know on a deeper level this pre-season.

‘Chilly [Ben Chilwell] is the most friendly. He is good vibes, when he came down to us [the development squad] last season when he was building up his fitness after injury, he was always top. Some people have a bad attitude, he is never like that,’ he said, smiling.

‘He gives everyone the time of day, and some people have that extra energy and he has that. He is a great guy.’