John Terry will be delighted with Todd Boehly’s latest deal at Chelsea.
John Terry will be delighted that Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has managed to tie Alfie Gilchrist down to a new deal. Gilchrist has shown plenty of promise for the Blues this season and looks to be the latest star to roll off the Cobham production line.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that Gilchrist had signed an extension to his previous deal, keeping him at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2026. Chelsea will have the option to trigger an additional year if Gilchrist continues to impress at first-team level.
The 20-year-old is a boyhood Chelsea fan and has already made six Premier League appearances from the bench this season. His only starts have come in the FA Cup, but he was not included in the matchday squad for the Blues’ quarter-final victory over Leicester City last month.
Gilchrist’s breakthrough campaign will have come as no surprise to Chelsea legend Terry, who has been an admirer of the young defender for quite some time. He tipped Gilchrist as the next big thing to emerge from the club’s academy after making his first-team debut against Crystal Palace in December.
“Alfie Gilchrist, he’s a really really good player,” said Terry when asked by a fan to name any standout Chelsea youngsters to keep an eye on. “He’s got an unbelievable attitude. He’s been at the club since the age of eight.
“He performs so well on a daily basis, does everything right. I think he’s got a good chance. I think we spoke about the young players going on loan and I think Alfie’s next step is to go on loan next season and then you should see how he does.
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“I’m expecting big things from Alf, expecting him to play hopefully a game or two as the season goes on.”
Terry will certainly be hoping for Gilchrist to kick on at Chelsea by continuing to impress Mauricio Pochettino into next season and beyond. Following the announcement of his new deal, the defender said he was not intending to rest on his laurels as he looks to earn his first Premier League start.
“Signing this contract at Chelsea is a massive achievement for me and my family,” said Gilchrist. “It was a no-brainer and every time I’ve signed a contract here it has felt nicer and nicer but now I want to keep on pushing on and keep improving.”
First published by: Express
