Chelsea have reportedly agreed a deal to sign a Crystal Palace talent after ‘beating eight European teams’ to his signature and hijacking a move to a German club.
The Blues are no strangers to snapping up talented players at a young age and developing them into stars. This summer, they’ll see Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez (both 18) join the club.
Both are prodigiously talented teenagers who they’ll hope will come good at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are soon to add another talented teenager to their ranks, as Fabrizio Romano has revealed they have ‘agreed a deal’ to sign 18-year-old Palace winger Jesse Derry.
The transfer insider reports the Blues have beaten ‘eight European clubs’ to his signature.
Derry looked set for a move to Germany, but Chelsea have ‘hijacked’ that transfer, and the winger will completed his medical with the club on Friday.
Derry had actually already left Palace at the conclusion of his contract, after scoring nine goals and assisting once in eight games in the under-18 Premier League last term.
At the time, it was suggested he had offers from within England and Germany, and had decided to accept a Bundesliga contract, per Football Insider, though no team was mentioned.
In any case, it was suggested at the beginning of July that talks were at an advanced stage with the German club and a full agreement was expected to be settled.
Palace would only have been due minimal compensation of around £300,000 if Derry had moved abroad.
Romano has not revealed what compensation the Eagles will be due once the young winger lands at Stamford Bridge.
If Derry does indeed complete a move to the Blues, he’ll be the eighth signing made there this summer, along with Paez, Estevao, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr.
Given the amount of forward talent in the Chelsea squad, particularly with new signings Delap, Pedro and Gittens likely to play a good amount of football, it’s unlikely Derry will get a spot in the first team, and if he does, he’s not likely to play often.
But Chelsea have a very good academy side, and have links with a lot of clubs for their stars to head to on loan, so the winger will no doubt be developed well before it’s decided whether or not he’s good enough to make the step to senior football with them.
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