Chris Atherton has signed professional forms with Premier League side Chelseaplaceholder image
Chris Atherton has signed professional forms with Premier League side Chelsea
Highly-rated teenager Chris Atherton has signed his first professional contract at Premier League side Chelsea.
The winger has made an instant impact at Stamford Bridge after signing for the Blues ahead of the start of this season from Irish League side Glenavon.
Atherton hit the headlines in 2022 when he became the youngest senior footballer in the UK when he was a used substitute for the Lurgan Blues in a Mid-Ulster Cup tie against Dollingstown – aged just 13 years and 329 days.
A whole host of clubs from across the UK chased Atherton’s services but it was Chelsea who won the race.
Since crossing the Irish Sea, he has been a regular feature for Hassan Sulaiman’s Under-18s side and has also appeared in the Under-17 Premier League Cup, scoring for both teams.
He opened his account in the Under-17 Premier League Cup against Charlton Athletic at Cobham, before adding another goal in the Under-18 Premier League by rounding off a 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.
On the international stage, he has represented Northern Ireland at Under-17 level, gaining valuable experience with his national side.
Once his move to Chelsea was confirmed earlier this year, former Glenavon boss Stephen McDonnell knew the prodigy was destined for the top.
He told the News Letter back in July: "What a move for the kid. He’s super talented – that move was no doing of ours, we managed to maximise having him around our team for the time we were there and he was always going to be going to Chelsea anyway.
"The key for us was keeping him at the club and we felt we could further develop him in terms of senior football to give him that edge and head start for when he goes to Chelsea.
"He will have that advantage over a lot of young players that he has played more than 20 league games in a season in senior football...physically that will stand to him.
"Technically he is super in what he can offer and tactically he’s only going to improve as he gets older and more experienced.”