Glenavon’s 16-year-old ahead Chris Atherton has left Mourneview Park to affix Chelsea.
The Northern Eire Underneath-17 worldwide made headlines in September 2022 when he grew to become the youngest senior footballer in the UK at 13 years and 329 days previous.
{The teenager}, who joined the Glenavon academy at 4 years previous, broke the senior document when he got here on as a second-half substitute for the Lurgan Blues throughout a 6-0 win over Dollingstown within the BetMcLean Cup.
Atherton beat the document set by Jordan Allan, who performed for Airdrie aged 14 years and 191 days.
He was a first-team common for Glenavon all through the 2024-25 season, scoring his first Irish Premiership objective in opposition to Loughgall in March, as Paddy McLaughlin’s facet completed tenth within the desk.
Glenavon introduced his exit on X, with a put up stating: “Chris Atherton – blue nonetheless the color.
“We will affirm that academy product Chris Atherton has left the membership to signal for Chelsea We want him the most effective in his profession & hope he and his household will not be strangers at MVP.”