Carlo Ancelotti may today hand a Premier League debut to the best teenage footballer he has ever seen, a player who until now has been synonymous only with controversy. A spate of injuries to established regulars – including Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Deco – means the 18-year-old Gaël Kakuta is included in the Chelsea squad for the first time since Fifa's decision in September to punish the club with a transfer embargo for allegedly breaking transfer rules to lure the gifted youngster from the French side Lens.

That penalty has been suspended pending an appeal, as has Kakuta's four-month ban, meaning he will be on the bench for this afternoon's visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers to Stamford Bridge. His presence on the sidelines is no mere gesture: Ancelotti is eager to blood a player he rates higher than any youngster he has ever seen.

"At that age I have never seen a player with his talent," said Ancelotti. "Technically he is fantastic. He is a No10, like Joe Cole or Deco. Physically he is not yet strong enough to be a first-team regular but technically he is certainly ready to come on [as a substitute]. He can be a big player for Chelsea with his quality, and his character is very good too."

That character was put under strain in September when he became the subject of a furious dispute about player poaching in the wake of Fifa's finding against Chelsea. Kakuta was in Japan with the France youth team when the controversy erupted and, according to Ancelotti, initially found the attention difficult to accept, but has since adapted admirably. "He is a quiet guy and I think he suffered for one or two weeks over... but after he returned calm. He has been training with the first team since then and now he is well."

While Ancelotti expects Drogba, Ballack and Deco to be fit in time for next week's match against Arsenal, with Lampard likely to be missing for up to three weeks he knows that in January he will be deprived of another raft of first-teamers when Drogba, Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou and John Obi Mikel depart for the African Cup of Nations in Angola. He insisted, however, that the club's challenge for trophies on all fronts need not be dented by those departures. "We have to play without the African players in January, but we have young players who we can used in this period."

The club captain, John Terry, did not appear to share that confidence when he suggested earlier this week that the absence of the Africans – and the prospect of Fifa re-imposing the transfer embargo in the event of Chelsea's appeal failing – means the club is likely to make significant purchases in January. Ancelotti gently reminded the captain not to get above his station. "He is entitled to express his personal thoughts but that is a decision for me and the club," said the Italian before adding with a giggle: "Of course, to spend you have to have money – maybe I could raise some by selling John Terry?"

Ancelotti did, however, admit to keeping an eye on one potential target, the 21-year-old Atlético Madrid midfielder Sergio Agüero. Chelsea have been constantly linked with the Argentinian but Ancelotti maintained there is no pressing need to buy him and, with Atlético reportedly demanding at least £50m for the player, warned that Chelsea will not be held to ransom. "I like him but that's it. Yes, it is important for Chelsea, like all big clubs, to monitor all good young players, but we have a very good squad already. Nobody can grab us by the throat."