Chelsea contract signing keeps ‘Whisper’ out
Published:Thursday | November 9, 2023 | 12:12 AM
YOUNG JAMAICAN sensation and Chelsea-bound forward Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards was withdrawn from the Reggae Boyz squad to face Guatemala in an international friendly in the USA, said his agent, Craig Butler.
The 17-year-old, who has a pre-contract with English Premier League (EPL) club Chelsea, will be eligible to take up his contract when he turns 18 tomorrow.
He is set to depart the island next week to join the London club, as a result his handler and Phoenix Academy boss, Butler, says he decided to withdraw him from Heimir Hallgrimsson’s squad for the weekend fixture as a precaution and to get him focused on the task ahead.
Although Richards name was omitted from the official squad released by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) yesterday, he was named to the unofficial squad prior to the announcement.
However, before the official squad was publicised, Butler told The Gleaner: “Whisper will not be going to the Guatemala game. I pulled him from the squad. He has his move with Chelsea coming up, so he will not be in the squad for that.”
Richards, the star of the 2022 schoolboy football season where he scored 29 goals and produced 19 assists, was pre-contracted to the Premier League giants after his outstanding campaign.
He made his international debut against Trinidad and Tobago in March of this year and has earned nine other caps since.
He scored his only international goal in a 4-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago in the group stage of the Concacaf Gold Cup in June after coming on as a substitute.