Chelsea's young midfielder, Michael Golding, is set to join Leicester City in a permanent transfer worth £5 million. The 18-year-old made his first-team debut in January, coming on as a late substitute in Chelsea's 4-0 FA Cup victory over Preston, and was later named on the bench in their 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough. Golding, who began the season with Chelsea’s Under-18s before advancing to the Under-23s, has now secured a four-year deal with the newly-promoted Leicester City.
Golding's transfer comes as Leicester City prepare for their return to the Premier League after winning the Championship title last season. The Foxes, under new manager Steve Cooper, are aiming to bolster their squad for the upcoming campaign. The deal does not include a buyback clause, highlighting Leicester's confidence in Golding's potential.
This move is separate from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's £30 million transfer to Chelsea. The 25-year-old midfielder, who hails from Shepshed, has signed a five-year contract with Chelsea after an impressive season featuring 12 goals and 15 assists in 49 matches.
Golding’s departure marks the sixth exit from Chelsea this summer, following the departures of Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson, and Lewis Hall. Additional players like Armando Broja and Trevoh Chalobah are also rumored to be considering moves.
Speaking to Foxes Hub, Golding shared his excitement about the transfer: “I’m really looking forward to making leaps and bounds in my career here at Leicester and working hard to help the team as much as I can. The history of the club speaks for itself; there are great players here, and I’m looking to soak up as much information as I can from the senior players, learn from the staff, and hopefully have a great season."
This news was reported by Football.London.