Premier League giants Chelsea are reportedly on the verge of securing the services of 18-year-old English whizkid Dylan Williams this month.
According to an exclusive report by The Sun, Dylan Williams is set to secure a dream move to Chelsea in the ongoing transfer window. The 18-year-old English defensive wonderkid will be the Blues’ first signing this month, although he will likely be assigned to the under-23 side.
Dylan Williams has not been at Derby County for long, but has already made an immediate impression at the club. Since arriving at the Championship club from Wolverhampton Wanderers, the teenage prodigy rose through the ranks rapidly before making his first-team debut in January 2021.
The 18-year-old has since made eight further appearances for Derby County, each of those coming in the ongoing season. A modern-day full-back, the English left-back is solid defensively and carries a threat in the final third. Those qualities could come in use at a club like Chelsea, with the Blues clinching the deal to sign him this month.
This month, the West Londoners have been forced to enter the market for a left wing-back due to Ben Chilwell’s long-term knee injury. Chilwell’s absence has left Thomas Tuchel with Marcos Alonso as the only natural option at his disposal for the flank.
While Kenedy has been recalled from his loan spell with Flamengo, the Brazilian is unlikely to be utilised much by Tuchel. The Chelsea boss has been keen on bringing Emerson Palmieri back from Lyon, but the Blues’ efforts have not borne fruit, with Les Gones unwilling to end the Italian international’s spell early.
The Premier League heavyweights have thus had to dip their toes in the market for a left wing-back, with Lucas Digne one of their earlier targets. But Digne recently joined Aston Villa, forcing Chelsea to identify alternatives. Stuttgart’s Borna Sosa is the latest left-back to be linked with them. Now they are set to sign Dylan Williams, with Wayne Rooney confirming the same without mentioning Chelsea specifically.
The Derby County manager said, “We have agreed a fee with a Premier League club, still getting finalised as we speak, for Dylan Williams. It is one where I felt I couldn’t deny him the opportunity, so that is my decision, not an administrator’s decision. It was my decision after speaking to the player, I felt I couldn’t deny a young lad an opportunity of going to play in the Premier League.”
“I actually don’t know what the fee is, that has been agreed between the other club and the administrators. I took control of it and said I wanted to speak to the player and see what his feelings are, and it is a massive opportunity for the player, which I understand. Hence the fact I was happy for him to leave the club for a new venture somewhere else.”
Williams will likely be assigned to Chelsea’s under-23 side despite impressing for the Derby County first-team. That would mean that Chelsea will need to sign another left wing-back for the senior team, with Layvin Kurzawa also on their radar.
