This confirmation arrives four months after Craig Butler, the founder of Phoenix All Stars Academy, announced that the 17-year-old prodigy, who had been part of the academy since the age of 11, had signed a pre-contract agreement with Chelsea.

On Saturday, Chelsea made an announcement, confirming the successful completion of the deal that brings Richards to Stamford Bridge.

In a statement posted on their Twitter page, Chelsea revealed that the young talent will join their ranks next season, following his 18th birthday. This move is part of the club's ongoing commitment to bolster its youth division.

Richards, oppularly known as 'Whisper', has demonstrated an impressive goal-scoring prowess at the youth level and recently made his senior international debut for Jamaica earlier this year, playing against Trinidad & Tobago. Subsequently, he secured his first start in a match against the same opponent just three days later and recently completed the full 90 minutes in a game against Qatar earlier this month.

During the 2022 Manning Cup football season, Richards's exceptional abilities set him apart from his peers. He netted an impressive 31 goals and contributed 19 assists for Kingston College.

While reports were suggesting that Newcastle United were close to signing the Jamaican international following a trial period, negotiations ultimately saw Joe Shields, Blues' co-director of recruitment and talent, playing a pivotal role.