CHELSEA ACADEMY MIDFIELDER Chris Atherton has completed a transfer from Northern Ireland to represent the Republic of Ireland, Fifa have confirmed.
Atherton, who hails from Armagh and will turn 18 in October this year, joined the Chelsea academy from Glenavon last summer. Described by the Chelsea website as a quick and clever winger, Atherton made headlines by making his senior debut with Glenavon at the age of 13, therefore becoming the youngest player ever to make a first-team appearance across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
At 13 years and 329 years old, he was just 10 days older than the player who holds the global record, Souleymane Mamam, who played for Togo in a World Cup qualifier against Zambia in May 2001 at 13 years and 319 days.
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The Irish FA subsequently amended rules to mandate that a player must turn 16 by the end of the relevant season to play first-team football,.
Having been courted by several clubs including Manchester City, Atherton joined Chelsea last summer, signing a first professional contract on his 17th birthday a couple of months after first moving to London.
Atherton grew up playing Gaelic football with Maghery Sean MacDermott’s in Armagh, before focusing fully on football with Glenavon. He has been capped 11 times by Northern Ireland’s U17s, but has now completed paperwork to tie himself with the FAI and is eligible to be selected by an Irish squad straight away, and may be included in the Irish U19 squad for European Championship qualifiers next month.
Atherton made 32 senior appearances for Glenavon in all, 20 of which came in the Premiership, across which he scored once.
In October 2023, Atherton attended the announcement at Uefa HQ of the co-hosting of Euro 2028 across Ireland and Britain as the appointed “football youth ambassador” for Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland have subsequently lost out on their co-hosting duties as Casement Park will not be redeveloped in time.
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Chelsea academy prospect completes transfer to FAI from Northern Ireland
CHELSEA ACADEMY MIDFIELDER Chris Atherton has completed a transfer from Northern Ireland to represent the Republic of Ireland, Fifa have confirmed.
Atherton, who hails from Armagh and will turn 18 in October this year, joined the Chelsea academy from Glenavon last summer. Described by the Chelsea website as a quick and clever winger, Atherton made headlines by making his senior debut with Glenavon at the age of 13, therefore becoming the youngest player ever to make a first-team appearance across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
At 13 years and 329 years old, he was just 10 days older than the player who holds the global record, Souleymane Mamam, who played for Togo in a World Cup qualifier against Zambia in May 2001 at 13 years and 319 days.
The Irish FA subsequently amended rules to mandate that a player must turn 16 by the end of the relevant season to play first-team football,.
Having been courted by several clubs including Manchester City, Atherton joined Chelsea last summer, signing a first professional contract on his 17th birthday a couple of months after first moving to London.
Atherton grew up playing Gaelic football with Maghery Sean MacDermott’s in Armagh, before focusing fully on football with Glenavon. He has been capped 11 times by Northern Ireland’s U17s, but has now completed paperwork to tie himself with the FAI and is eligible to be selected by an Irish squad straight away, and may be included in the Irish U19 squad for European Championship qualifiers next month.
Atherton made 32 senior appearances for Glenavon in all, 20 of which came in the Premiership, across which he scored once.
In October 2023, Atherton attended the announcement at Uefa HQ of the co-hosting of Euro 2028 across Ireland and Britain as the appointed “football youth ambassador” for Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland have subsequently lost out on their co-hosting duties as Casement Park will not be redeveloped in time.
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Chelsea Christopher Atherton One to Watch Republic Of Ireland