Official: Chelsea youngster Marcel Lewis signs with Belgian second division champions Union SG

Marcel Lewis has been one of the standout performers for Chelsea U23s this season, making the step up from the U18s and scoring 5 goals and providing 7 assists in 17 appearances. However, with a plethora of young attacking talent at the first-team level, and in search of a more viable pathway to senior football, Lewis has decided to leave the Blues.

The 19-year-old has agreed to join Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer, once his contract expires. Union officially announced the move a few hours ago, today, confirming a three-year contract with an option for an additional year for the young attacking midfielder who joined the Chelsea Academy at the U14 level from Cambridge United in 2015.

Union SG, who briefly featured Chelsea youngster Charlie Brown on loan before he signed with MK Dons, won the Belgian second division and will be moving up to the top flight next season. Lewis, who also had drawn interest from Freiburg, Huddersfield, and Derby County, is expected to compete for a starting spot.

Union were taken over in 2018 by Tony Bloom, who also owns Brighton & Hove Albion, so Lewis could have an easy pathway back to English football should he do well.

And we certainly wish him all the best of luck!

In related youth transfer news, last week Chelsea signed a couple youth players who had been on trial with the club, namely Jayden Wareham, 17 and Declan Frith. Wareham had featured in a number of U18 Premier League games, while Frith had even featured in three of our Premier League 2 matches. Wareham has already confirmed the move on Twitter, and arrives on a three-year contract, which is the maximum for a 17-year-old.

Wareham, a centre forward, arrives from Woking, for whom he had already made his senior debut last season as a 16-year-old, and contributed with 2 goals in 14 National League (i.e. fifth-tier) appearances this season.

Less is known about Frith, who can play anywhere on the left flank and started as a left back in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Southampton in the PL2 last month.