CHELSEA have handed new deals to 16 players, including the sons of a club legend and an Arsenal cult hero.
The academy stars will all form part of Chelsea’s U18s squad next season under gaffer Hassan Sulaiman.
And there is a familiar face among the group after Isago Silva was given a fresh contract.
The Brazilian is the son of Chelsea hero and Champions League winner Thiago Silva.
He has been part of the Stamford Bridge set-up for several years now and operates at centre-back, just like his old man.
After turning 16, club chiefs were eager to sign Isago to an academy scholarship deal.
And joining him in west London is the son of a former rival.
Mathis Eboue agreed a deal to join Chelsea from Watford in January.
He has finally arrived at the club after also turning 16.
And the attacker is the offspring of none other than Arsenal icon Emmanuel Eboue.
Mathis isn’t the only new face at Stamford Bridge today though.
Chris Atherton, the youngster-ever senior debutant in UK football history at 13, has completed a move from Glenavon in Northern Ireland.
The rest of the new deals have been handed to youngsters already embedded in the Chelsea set-up like Isago.
Toby Bell, Jeremiah Berkeley-Agyepong, Freddy Bernal, Calvin Diakite, Chizaram Ezenwata, Jacob Hall, Charlie Holland, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Ibrahim Rabbaj, Lewi Richards, Joel Philbert and Dante Waite have been tied down to contracts.
While there is also a deal for midfielder Reggie Walsh, who made two appearances in Chelsea’s victorious Conference League campaign – including a start in the semis against Swedish side Djurgarden.
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