Chelsea have just announced on their official website that young midfielder Frankie Runham has signed a new contract at the club.
It’s a 3 year deal, so not the kind of monster decade long effort that’s being handed out to new signings. This feels more like one of the developmental deals given to players we expect to loan and ultimately sell. It keeps them secure while also ensuring we get a decent fee for them down the line.
What’s interesting is that he signed a professional deal back in January – this clearly shows the club have improved their opinion of him since then, and now consider him one of the brightest talents in the academy.
Frankie has been at Chelsea since under 8 level, and has worked his way up through the ranks. 17 year old is usually played as a right winger, but can also play through the centre. He’s a star player in our Under-18s, and will likely move up to the Development Squad this coming season.
He’s also got a mean free kick on him, as we’ve seen evidenced a few times in his years in the academy.
🔵🤝🏻 Official: 17-year old forward Frankie Runham has signed a new 3-year contract with Chelsea, deal completed. pic.twitter.com/41EXduS5io
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 13, 2024
An important signing for an academy under pressure
This is great move because Frankie is a top prospect who we want tied down at the club. But it feels especially important because of the recent terrible news about top teenagers Rio Ngumoha, who has just left us to join Liverpool.
He’s representative of a wider issue in the academy, with a number of highly rated prospects being sold or leaving of their own accord due to fears about their pathway to the first team.
The departure of legendary academy bosses Neil Bath and Jim Fraser this summer is bringing in a new era, and it was essential to start it with some good news like this.
Who are these other “highly rated prospects leaving of their own accord”?