Chelsea beat Man Utd & Liverpool to defender as Liam Rosenior makes first signing since replacing Enzo Maresca

Chelsea have won the race to sign Sheffield Wednesday teenager Yisa Alao. The 17-year-old also attracted interest from Manchester United and Liverpool but has opted for Chelsea in a transfer worth around £500,000 plus add-ons. Chelsea confirmed the transfer in a statement on the club's website: "Chelsea is pleased to announce the signing of Yisa Alao, with the left-back agreeing a contract with the Blues until 2028. The 17-year-old came through Sheffield Wednesday’s academy and made his senior debut for the Owls in August. Alao has since played four more games, starting Wednesday’s recent FA Cup tie against Brentford and Championship match against Portsmouth. Welcome to Chelsea, Yisa!"

Alao has said his goodbyes to Sheffield Wednesday with a post on social media that read: "10 years, endless memories, from the staff, to my teammates, to the fans, forever grateful. Thank you Sheffield Wednesday."

The club's administrators also posted an update regarding his sale: "The transfer includes a substantial upfront payment, along with further protections to ensure the club benefits should Yisa go on to fulfil the potential he has shown. These include performance-related payments and a significant sell-on arrangement. All financial terms will remain undisclosed.

"Our responsibility is to act in the best long-term interests of Sheffield Wednesday and its creditors. This transfer balances immediate value for the club with protection for the future, should Yisa's career develop as we all hope."

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Alao has only made five senior appearances so far in his career, meaning it may be a while before Chelsea fans see him in the first team. The teenager is expected to start off with the club's under-18 or under-21 squads or even potentially go out on loan in order to continue his development with regular minutes, per The Athletic. Alao is known for being an attack-minded full-back and has come all the way through the academy at Sheffield Wednesday. He made his debut as a 16-year-old against Bolton in the Carabao Cup and also played in the FA Cup this season as Wednesday were beaten by Premier League side Brentford.

Alao's signing continues Chelsea's trend of going for young, exciting talents and the club will hope that he can go on and force his way into the first team. In the meantime, Rosenior and Chelsea are currently preparing for their final Champions League group fixture away at Napoli.