Wigan Athletic have signed highly-rated youngster Reggie Walsh on a season-long loan from Premier League side Chelsea for the 2026/27 League One campaign.
Chelsea youngster Reggie Walsh has joined Wigan Athletic on a season-long loanplaceholder image
Chelsea youngster Reggie Walsh has joined Wigan Athletic on a season-long loan | Wigan Athletic
The 17-year-old midfielder has come through the ranks at Chelsea and has already made his senior debut for the Blues, gaining experience in both the UEFA Conference League and UEFA Champions League.
Walsh has been with Chelsea since the age of seven and has earned international recognition with England at youth level while continuing to impress through the age groups at Cobham.
The Chertsey-born midfielder made his first-team debut as a 16-year-old against Djurgarden in the UEFA Conference League, becoming the third-youngest player in the club’s history to feature for the senior side.
Walsh then made his Champions League debut last season in Chelsea’s 5-1 win over Ajax at Stamford Bridge and has continued to train regularly with Chelsea’s senior squad and was selected as part of their 2026 pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, featuring during the club’s preparations for the new campaign.
Walsh will enter the next chapter of his promising career with the Latics, following in the footsteps of fellow Chelsea academy graduate Reece James, who became a cult hero at Wigan during the 2018/19 season before going on to feature regularly for Chelsea’s first-team and play for England on the international stage.
“It’s a privilege to be here,” said Walsh. “It's a massive club with a lot of history, so I can't wait to get started. It's the perfect stepping stone I need in my career.
“Being 17, I need to play men's football, and I believe this is the perfect environment for me to be in and build my career to get to where I want to be.”