Christopher Atherton, the teenage football sensation who made history as the youngest senior player in UK football history, has officially joined Chelsea FC from Glenavon.
The 16-year-old forward rose to prominence in September 2022, when he made his senior debut for Glenavon at just 13 years and 329 days old, breaking the previous record held by Jordan Allan, who debuted for Airdrie at 14 years and 191 days.
Atherton, a Northern Ireland Under-17 international, had been part of the Glenavon academy since the age of four. He made his historic senior appearance as a second-half substitute in Glenavon’s 6-0 BetMcLean Cup win over Dollingstown, immediately drawing national and international attention.
Throughout the 2024–25 season, Atherton established himself as a regular in Glenavon’s first team, scoring his first Irish Premiership goal in March against Loughgall. His consistent performances were a bright spot in a challenging campaign for Glenavon, who finished 10th in the league under manager Paddy McLaughlin.
Glenavon confirmed Atherton’s departure via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“Chris Atherton – blue still the colour.
We can confirm that academy product Chris Atherton has left the club to sign for Chelsea. We wish him the best in his career and hope he and his family won’t be strangers at MVP [Mourneview Park].”
The move to Premier League giants Chelsea marks a major step in the young forward’s career, as he joins one of Europe’s top academies with the potential to develop into a future star on the global stage.
