Chelsea confirm second January signing saving millions on transfer of possible

Chelsea have announced that academy prospect Frankie Runham has signed his first professional contract with the club. The 17-year-old joins a growing number of current Cobham stars to be tied down.

Runham has spent nearly 10 years at Chelsea, progressing into the Under-18s last year with his first taste of FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League football. He is now aiming to get himself into the clubs thinking in the long-term.

As a versatile forward capable of playing across the front line as well as in deeper positions too, Runham has developed into a regular under Hassan Sulaiman. He has now started the last seven games with a goal and two assists coming.

“We are delighted Frankie will continue his development at Chelsea,” said head of youth development and recruitment, Jim Fraser. “He has consistently showcased his versatility and quality for our Under 17s and 18s and we look forward to seeing even more as this season progresses.”

Runham joins a long list of Cobham hopefuls starting to commit their mid-term future to the club after highly-rated full-back Josh-Kofi Acheampong also penned a senior deal earlier this month. He is an England youth international and is seen as one of the best coming through in the Surrey-based academy.

It follows the club’s two newest debutants, Michael Golding and Alfie Gilchrist, being given roles in the men’s set-up under Mauricio Pochettino. Although the Argentine has been in charge of the club during a brief period that has seen Mason Mount and Lewis Hall depart with no attempt from the club to hide their willingness to let Conor Gallagher, Ian Maatsen, Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja go, it has been a positive year so far for young players coming through.

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Alex Matos, signed over the summer from Norwich, has played for the first team and became a regular in training for Pochettino alongside homegrown Leo Castledine – signed a new deal in the summer – and others including Kiano Dyer. Matos is now on loan at Huddersfield whilst Harvey Vale is at Bristol Rovers.

Runham still has quite a way to go before he gets to this level but the decision to tie him down at this stage is certainly a feather in the cap. It continues Chelsea’s youth recruitment drive that is shown via their forays into the transfer market to sign Diego Moreira, Angelo Gabriel, Deivid Washington and a host of others.

They currently have 17-year-old Ghana full-back David Oduro on a trial ahead of potentially signing him with a view to making a tidy profit in the long-term or even replacing/competing with their current options down the line. Midfielder Pape Dadouda Diong is also expected to join from Africa in the summer when he turns 18.

It is the talent from abroad as well as just the…