Chelsea are closing in on a transfer for striker Omari Kellyman from Aston Villa as their youth revolution continues.
Omari Kellyman is Chelsea’s New Transfer Target
18-Year-Old to Make the Step Up
Matt Law has reported that Chelsea are “in talks” to sign Kellyman, valued at £20 million. The fanbase are sceptical: the forward has made just six senior appearances for the Midlands club.
Read More: Marc Cucurella Euro 2024 Performances Could Lock Down Starting Chelsea Spot
The England youth international signed a long-term contract extension at Villa Park in October 2023, but that looks to be in vain with them set to lose another youngster to Chelsea.
Kellyman’s Chelsea Transfer a Separate Move to Ian Maatsen Deal
Earlier this week (June 19), it was confirmed by Fabrizio Romano that a player – now confirmed to be Kellyman – would be included in a separate deal to help facilitate Villa’s move for Ian Maatsen. Villa agreed a £37.5 million fee for the left-back, beating Borussia Dortmund to his signature. With Maatsen a product of Chelsea’s academy, his sale would generate pure profit for the club; they can bank the full transfer fee for their accounts.
Why Has This Move Not Gone Down Well With Chelsea Fans?
Kellyman’s expected arrival at Stamford Bridge isn’t generating the excitement that the SW6 hierarchy likely expected it to. The move for the left-footed forward is the latest in a long line of highly-anticipated deals for teenagers since Todd Boehly arrived at the club. Several that have signed are still finding their feet within the Blues’ youth set-up.
The feeling amongst the fanbase is that the promising players coming through at Cobham are being shunted aside, in favour of paying top dollar for other prospects.
19-year-old striker Ronnie Stutter – who has just come off the back of 12 goals in 17 appearances in the PL2 – has not been given a sniff of first-team action for Chelsea. He’s been forced to watch players like Deivid Washington take his place on the bench for Chelsea.
Read More: Chelsea To Compete With Bayern Munich For £5 Million Record-Setting Striker
Kellyman could, of course, shock everyone and become a regular scorer for the Blues, but previous experience has taught fans that this is highly unlikely to happen. Can Cobham continue to be considered one of the best academies in the world, if the talents breaking through are just going to be moved elsewhere?
With the Chelsea academy’s stocks still holding some value, the club have to be very careful that they don’t slowly destroy the one thing that their fans hold a strong affinity to.
