The acquisition of teenage striker Dujuan Richards by Chelsea is now official

The acquisition of teenage striker Dujuan Richards by Chelsea is now official.

From Kingston’s Phoenix Allstars Football Academy, the Jamaican international has made the journey to Stamford Bridge.

Richards and Chelsea reached an agreement on a pre-contract in March of last year, and the player is scheduled to join the Blues once he turns 18; the trade was finalized in the summer.

Having trained with Mauricio Pochettino’s first team squad during last year’s pre-season tour of the USA, Richards has now officially joined Chelsea, having celebrated his 18th birthday in November.

In an interview with Chelsea’s official website, Richards expressed his delight at being present. I can’t even begin to describe the feelings I’m experiencing; signing a professional contract has always been my goal, and I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to achieve it at Chelsea. I am absolutely thrilled to begin.

Ever since he joined the Phoenix Academy at the tender age of eleven, Richards had piqued the curiosity of Premier League rivals Newcastle, who sent him on trial and allowed him to witness a game at St. James’ Park. However, Chelsea eventually beаt them to the signing.

In 2021, Richards faced Manchester City, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Sheffield United on a tour of England, which made him well-known in their academies. Joe Shields, Chelsea’s head of recruitment and talent, was instrumental in securing the agreement.

Richards, who attended Leicestershire’s Brooke House College, had trials with Real Sociedad in 2022 and was being followed by a number of clubs, including Eredivisie powerhouse Ajax and Belgian outfit Genk.

Just hours after joining Chelsea in March of last year, he made his senior international debut for Jamaica against Trinidad and Tobago. He has since collected 10 caps, scoring one goal against the same opponent in June of 2023 during their Gold Cup campaign.

After joining the Chelsea academy, Richards will have the opportunity to show Pochettino that he deserves first-team opportunities in a position where he has been a problem.