Chelsea have agreed an all-in fee to sign 18-year-old winger Jesse Derry from Crystal Palace after fending off stiff competition from eight of Europe’s elite clubs. The Blues made a late swoop to hijack the teenager’s imminent switch to Germany — and won.
Medical booked as Chelsea pull off surprise hijack
Derry, who had been leaning towards a Bundesliga switch, is now set to undergo his Blues medical on Friday. The deal developed quickly in the last 48 hours, as Chelsea ramped up talks once they realised Derry had not fully committed to his move to Germany. Crystal Palace have already given the green light earlier today, agreeing terms with Chelsea for the promising young England talent.
The son of former midfielder Shaun Derry, Jesse Derry caught the eye of scouts across Europe — many impressed by his lightning pace, strong ability on the ball, and mature decision-making in the final third. He played regularly for Palace’s youth teams last season and ranks among the most exciting wingers in England’s 2006 age group. He also trained with the first team over a number of times, impressing coaching staff with his attitude and spark.
Chelsea beat European rivals to land Derry
Chelsea held off serious competition from clubs in Germany, France and the Netherlands — among them, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, with whom the player’s camp had concrete discussions. Ligue 1 clubs and Eredivisie heavyweights also came in with offers, but didn’t come close to matching Chelsea’s vision.
In the end, Chelsea’s sales pitch under Enzo Maresca — focused around technical and tactical improvements, and a discernible pathway into the first team — proved attractive to the player’s camp. The Blues consider Derry as a long-term project, initially with the U21s but with a path eased to first-team football over the next 18 months.
Jesse Derry will be a Blue once his medical is out of the way. Chelsea’s academy pipeline only grows stronger — and there’s more to come as this latest signing isn’t just building for today, but building for the future as well.
