Kian Bestplaceholder image
Kian Best | CameraSport - Alex Dodd
The defender left his hometown club this summer upon the expiry of his contract
Chelsea have reportedly snapped up Kian Best following his departure from Preston North End.
The Lancashire Post broke the news of the Blues’ interest in Best last month. It has now been reported, byThe Mirror, that the defender has completed a medical at Stamford Bridge and put pen-to-paper on a deal.
It’s stated that he will link up with Chelsea’s development squad, who finished third in the Premier League 2 last season. Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool were also said to have expressed an interest.
Best saw his time at PNE come to an end this summer upon the expiry of his contract. He broke on to the first team scene in 2023/24, straight out of the academy, and made 14 appearances across all competitions.
One of those was as a substitute, away to Chelsea, in the FA Cup third round. Best found it tough to get a look in the following year, making three substitute outings against Sheffield United, Harrogate Town and Arsenal.
The 19-year-old was then loaned out to Irish Premier Division outfit, Bohemians, in late-January but had an injury-hit loan spell - and made one appearance. In his breakthrough year, Best represented England U19s and was linked with Fulham and Al-Ettifaq.
After being released by boyhood club Preston, Best took to social media to suggest he had discovered the news via Instagram. PNE CEO Peter Ridsdale denied those claims and Best went on to post a classy farewell.
He wrote: ‘Thank you to everyone at @pnefcofficial for the past 12 years. From joining at 7 to making my debut 10 years later it’s been some journey. Being a Preston lad I would have loved for it to continue but that’s football. Thank you to all the players and staff that helped me on the way. Lastly, I am grateful to the fans for the support. I’ll always be one of your own. UTW 💙🤍’
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