Chelsea close to agreement with Aston Villa for Omari Kellyman

Chelsea is near to finalizing a deal with Aston Villa to bring in 18-year-old striker Omari Kellyman.

A agreement is anticipated to be made for approximately £19 million.

The small details still need to be worked out between the two teams and player. Kellyman will have to have a medical exam and come to an agreement on personal terms before the deal can be finished.

Kellyman became a member of the Villa academy after transferring from Derby County in 2022, and he made his debut for the first team in 2023.

The agreement costs £19 million, which is one million pounds lower than the amount Chelsea spent to acquire young midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa in the summer of 2022.

Kellyman played in two Premier League games last season, coming on as a substitute against Manchester City and Crystal Palace in the last two months of the season.

He was brought on late in the game as a substitute two times in the Europa Conference League.

Kellyman inked a fresh extended deal with Villa in October.

He has represented England at the youth level since changing his international team from Northern Ireland in 2023. Recently, he played in his first Under-20 game for England earlier this month.

The Athletic also stated this month that Villa have reached an agreement with Chelsea to acquire left-back Ian Maatsen.

Maatsen's contract had a £35million release clause that only applied to Borussia Dortmund, but it has since expired. Villa and Chelsea have agreed on a fee slightly higher than that amount. Personal terms have also been agreed upon for a six-year contract, which Villa is currently finalizing.

Chelsea's proactive approach to bringing in young talent means they are no longer focused on signing players who are already at the peak of their careers.

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David Ornstein started working for The Athletic in October 2019 following 12 years as a sports journalist and correspondent for the BBC. As the Football Correspondent, his job is to create special and one-of-a-kind stories and interviews, providing special perspectives and analysis. He contributes to videos, podcasts, and articles. You can keep up with David on Twitter by following @David_Ornstein.