UK's youngest senior player Atherton joins Chelsea

Glenavon's 16-year-old guardant Chris Atherton has near Mourneview Park to articulation Chelsea.

The Northern Ireland Under-17 planetary made headlines successful September 2022 erstwhile he became the youngest elder footballer successful the United Kingdom astatine 13 years and 329 days old.

The teenager, who joined the Glenavon academy astatine 4 years old, broke the elder grounds erstwhile helium came connected arsenic a second-half substitute for the Lurgan Blues during a 6-0 triumph implicit Dollingstown successful the BetMcLean Cup.

Atherton bushed the grounds acceptable by Jordan Allan, who played for Airdrie aged 14 years and 191 days.

He was a first-team regular for Glenavon passim the 2024-25 season, scoring his archetypal Irish Premiership extremity against Loughgall successful March, arsenic Paddy McLaughlin's broadside finished 10th successful the table.

Glenavon announced his exit connected X, with a station stating: "Chris Atherton - bluish inactive the colour.

"We tin corroborate that academy merchandise Chris Atherton has near the nine to motion for Chelsea We privation him the champion successful his vocation & anticipation helium and his household won't beryllium strangers astatine MVP."