Omari Kellyman
Omari Kellyman
Midfielder Omari Kellyman is set for a spell in the Championship - less than a year after leaving Aston Villa for Chelsea. Kellyman, who is only 19, swapped Villa Park for Stamford Bridge last summer in a window of business in which the two clubs also arranged the transfer of Ian Maatsen.
Kellyman cost Chelsea £19m, but he didn't play a single first-team game at any point last season; indeed he even struggled to feature regularly for the club's under 21s, having been granted rather cruel luck when it came to injuries right the way through the campaign.
The playmaker, who joined Villa from boyhood club Derby County for £600,000 in 2022, had just broken into the first-team environment under Unai Emery shortly after the Spaniard's arrival; he played six times, including three times in the Conference League, as Villa hoped to integrate him into their senior squad.
Chelsea came calling, though, and Kellyman made the switch to London, but until now he has encountered plenty of misfortune on the fitness front; he picked up a hamstring injury in September of last year and then, in March, it was confirmed that he would miss the remainder of the campaign after a similar setback.
Kellyman, , only played four times for the club's under 21s last season. He posted in March: "Beyond gutted to say that this season has come to an early end for me due to a reinjury of my hamstring, despite only just returning after having hamstring issues for a massive part of this season.
"24-25 has been a tough season for me mentally and physically due to injury but it's important now that I take time to get this right and come out the other side stronger and better ready for what next season brings."
It's now being reported that Kellyman will miss out on a place in Enzo Maresca's Club World Cup squad when Chelsea travel to the US this month. He will remain at the club's training ground and continue to build up his fitness levels again, and then a Championship loan is the likeliest route the club will take.
Which Villa youngster would you like to see given more minutes next season? Have your say here
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