Dujuan Richards has given Mauricio Pochettino a glimpse of what he could offer Chelsea next season. Earlier this month, Craig Butler, who runs the Phoenix FC football academy, confirmed that the 17-year-old forward has signed a pre-contract agreement with the Blues, arriving at Stamford Bridge ahead of the new season.
Before penning a deal with the Blues, Richards was heavily linked with a move to Newcastle United and Aston Villa. It's said that he had a two-week trial with the Magpies in February, but a switch to Tyneside failed to materialise once Chelsea caught wind of the teenage sensation's availability.
Richards will join the west Londoners once he turns 18 on October 11. With the summer transfer window shut upon his arrival, he's expected to either earn his stripes in the Development Squad or even test himself in the first team before a decision is made over his immediate future at a later date.
In the meantime, Richards will be looking to force himself into Pochettino's squad. After five impressive years at Phoenix, he earned a call-up to the Jamaica national team – and he's already making a name for himself on the World stage.
The youngster featured in a pair of friendlies against Trinidad and Tobago in March, before returning to the senior side this month to for another handful of games. Richards completed 90 minutes in a 2-1 defeat to Qatar in a friendly.
Unfortunately for the Chelsea wonderkid, he missed out on a friendly versus Jordan and then Jamaica's opening Gold Cup 2023 tie against the United States. But, in the second group stage clash against Trinidad and Tobago, Richards enjoyed a fantastic cameo, scoring his first goal for his country.
He dropped his shoulder, drifted inside off the right-wing onto his left foot and unleashed an effort goal-bound. Richards' strike was deflected, leaving the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
READ MORE: Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: Moises Caicedo concern, Gabri Veiga bid, Mason Mount meeting
Richards became the youngest goalscorer in Gold Cup history and he's been tipped to for a bright future at Chelsea. In an interview with Scouted earlier this month, Butler heaped tremendous praise on the teenager and claimed that he's the 'Usain Bolt of football'.
"I remember this local fisherman kept pleading with me to take this young kid into my academy," said the founder of The Phoenix Academy. "He kept pleading and pleading, telling me he was special, so I agreed that if he was still there when I came back from the party, I would take him to the academy.
"When I returned, I saw this skinny, tall, gangly boy with his backpack waiting by my car, ready to go. We took him to the player housing, and he stayed with the academy ever since.
Butler added: "We've created football's Usain Bolt."
