Chelsea has officially signed 18-year-old striker Dujuan Richards from Phoenix Academy in Jamaica.
Having recently turned 18 in November, Richards finalized his move to Chelsea, having previously trained with Mauricio Pochettino’s first-team squad during their pre-season tour of the USA last year.
A member of the Phoenix Academy since the age of 11, Richards garnered substantial interest from Newcastle and even underwent a trial with the club, attending a game at St James’ Park. However, Chelsea successfully secured his signature, outbidding Premier League rivals in the process.
Richards made his senior international debut for Jamaica against Trinidad and Tobago shortly after joining Chelsea in March of the previous year. Since then, he has earned 10 caps and notably scored a goal against the same opponent during the 2023 Gold Cup campaign in June.
The young striker is set to integrate into Chelsea’s academy, with aspirations to swiftly showcase his potential for first-team opportunities, addressing a position that has presented challenges for Pochettino.
Chelsea, boasting one of the league’s youngest teams with an average age of 23.7 at the start of the season under Pochettino, currently holds the 8th position in the league. Despite facing difficulties with eight losses in the season so far, the team experienced a setback with a 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough in the League Cup semi-final midweek but managed to bounce back with a 1-0 win over Fulham earlier today.