Chelsea FC is pleased to have signed Riley Ebho and Jashayde Greenwood, who will come in on scholarship signings for the Under-18s.
Stamford Bridge gives a welcome to the pair after standout performances with previous clubs and Chelsea scouts. Ebho joins from West Ham United, while Greenwood joins from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Riley Ebho and Jashayde Greenwood
Riley Ebho: Solid Right-Back
Ebho is 16 years of age and occupies the right-back position. He did pretty well in West Ham academy. One of his schoolboy-level moments was that he was the regular member of West Ham Under-18s for the previous season.
He even netted his first U18 goal when West Ham drew away with Tottenham Hotspur. His talent did not go to waste, and Chelsea signed him on a scholarship. Aside from his club outing, Ebho has also played for England’s youth machinery. Hence, he is a youth prospect in the real sense of the term.
Jashayde Greenwood: Talented Forward
Chelsea’s newest signing as a centre-forward is Jashayde Greenwood and he is 16 years old. Greenwood played for Wolves’ Under-18s last season, playing seven times and scoring once.
Internationally, he has played for England at junior levels, i.e., England U16, and has made three goals in six games. His shoulder-to-shoulder body maturity with the veterans at the junior level has attracted attention.
Greenwood will also have the responsibility to bring new attacking talent into Chelsea’s Under-18s.
Admission to Chelsea’s Under-18s
The two young signings will be included in Under-18 team under head coach Hassan Sulaiman. The team is doing well in the Under-18 Premier League and has four victories and one draw in the past five matches.
Chelsea has released a statement which is: “Chelsea are delighted to welcome two new recruits to our Under-18s after Riley Ebho and Jashayde Greenwood signed scholarship terms with the Blues.”
Aside from that, Chelsea also signed centre-half Peterborough United’s Justin Osagie into the club’s Under-21 side. Club signed Riley, Jashayde, and Justin in their youth team under the press release.
Ex-Cobham Academy players
Cobham Academy of Chelsea has also nurtured stars. John Terry, Mason Mount, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Liam Hall who are now first-team regulars or who were sold for invaluable deals. They’ve also earned over £200-£300 million from in-house player sales in the past couple of years. Chelsea has sold such players as Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher. They’re playing wonderfully well in their teams.
Academy players are now being given huge slabs of minutes and match time by the Premier League immediately, and it also solidifies Cobham as one of the top youth systems in England.
Why These Signings Matter?
These signings confirm the current policy of Chelsea in signing young players more than ever before in history. Chelsea has already vast experience in turning academy stars into first-team legends. New signings like Ebho and Greenwood put the youth system at the top of the agenda.
For Ebho, the move will expose him to being coached by Chelsea’s academy and being exposed to ruthlessness in competition in youth leagues. Greenwood on the other hand can improve his goal-scoring prowess and become a threat by the goal in a world-class academy.
If all goes well, the two of them should be playing in the first team or even the veteran division in the next couple of years. In the meantime, though, they would be looking to development, Chelsea adjustment tactics, and making the Under-18s perform well.
Author’s Insight
Chelsea Under-18s now boast the services of Riley Ebho and Jashayde Greenwood after their recent signings. They have already started well with junior football. Club, management, and supporters will be hoping they make Stamford Bridge expensive.
Throughout the season, it will be wonderful to watch them grow. They are now starting the second half of their lives in one of England’s top academies.
