By: Damoy Rowe
National senior football representative and former Kingston College standout Dujuan “Whisper” Richards is getting ready for his full professional career as he departs the seas of the Caribbean and makes his way to England soon to begin his professional club experience with English Premier League heavyweight Chelsea.
The young striker originally signed a pre-contract with Chelsea earlier this year, which stipulated that he would join the London-based club after his 18th birthday on November 10.
Whisper joined the team pre-season after being named among 29 players for Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the US in the summer; however, he was only part of the training unit during his time with the first team. Following pre-season, he came back to Jamaica when the Premier League season started for the English-based club to maintain his fitness at the Phoenix Academy and wait until his contract would come into full effect after his birthday.
Richards will now train and be apart of Chelsea’s first team until January. At that point, he and the club will make a decision on whether he goes on loan or stays with the first team.
Being a young Jamaican from Port Royal, Kingston, and entering the English Premier League is no easy feat, especially with all the other young talents all wanting to emerge from the shadows and into the spotlight.
The English League is known for its rivalry and competition with other leagues across Europe, but being a Jamaican, resilience is in his DNA, and Richards is determined to leave his mark at Chelsea.
Richards has had a sterling career thus far under the guidance of his manager, Craig Butler, who is president of Phoenix Football Academy, where Richards spent most of his life after joining at a tender age. He has also earned international call-ups since ending his time at Kingston College, where he scored 31 goals and registered 19 assists, showcasing his immense talent and potential in the 2022 Manning Cup season.
The former Phoenix player has gotten the opportunity to represent his country on 10 occasions and even found the back of the net once in a 4-1 win against Trinidad and Tobago, making history by becoming the youngest Jamaican player to ever score in a Gold Cup tournament at the age of 17.