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Dujuan Richards

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Dujuan Richards
Personal information
Full name Dujuan Odile Richards[1]
Date of birth (2005-11-10) 10 November 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth Port Royal, Jamaica
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Chelsea
Youth career
2017–2023 Phoenix Academy
2024– Chelsea
International career‡
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Jamaica 10 (1)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 October 2023

Dujuan Odile Richards (born 10 November 2005) is a Jamaican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Chelsea and the Jamaica national team.

Club career

[edit]

Richards was born in Port Royal.[2] He started his career with the Phoenix Football Academy at the age of eleven where he remained right up to his signing with Chelsea.[3] He also represented the Kingston College during the high schools competition Manning Cup in Jamaica, and spent time with the Brooke House College’s football academy in Leicestershire, England.[4][5]

Following impressive performances on several tours of Europe, he went on trial in Premier League side Newcastle United in February 2023.[6] Richards was quoted as saying he was "expecting to hear positively” from the Magpies.[5]

Chelsea

[edit]

In March 2023, it was reported that Richards signed a pre-contract deal with Chelsea.[3][7] On 24 June 2023, it was announced that Richards would join the club after his 18th birthday.[8][9] The move was officially completed on 12 January 2024.[10]

On 8 February 2024, Richards debuted for Chelsea u18s in a FA Youth Cup tie.[11]

International career

[edit]

Richards' grandmother is English, and was eligible to represent England at international level.[5]

In March 2023, Richards was called up to the Jamaican senior team for a friendly game against Trinidad and Tobago, with manager Heimir Hallgrímsson stating that he was "ready" to represent the nation, despite his young age.[12] He went on to make his debut in the match on 12 March.[13]

In June 2023, Richards was named to the final squad for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[14] In Jamaica's second match of the tournament against Trinidad and Tobago on June 28, he scored his first goal, netting the final tally in a 4-1 victory.[15] He became the youngest goalscorer for Jamaica in CONCACAF Gold Cup.[16]

Personal life

[edit]

Richards hails from a sporting family, with uncle Nick playing basketball professionally in the NBA for the Charlotte Hornets, while another uncle, O'Neil, represented the nation in cricket.[17]

Career statistics

[edit]

International

[edit]
As of match played 16 October 2023.[18]
National team Year Apps Goals
Jamaica 2023 10 1
Total 10 1
Scores and results list Jamaica's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Richards goal.[18]
List of international goals scored by Dujuan Richards
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 28 June 2023 CityPark, St. Louis, United States  Trinidad and Tobago 4–1 4–1 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Dujuan Richards at Soccerway
  2. ^ Cusack, Richard (12 March 2023). "Who is Dujuan Richards? Chelsea seal 'pre-contract' transfer for Jamaican goal machine". football.london. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b Knight, Chris (11 March 2023). "Chelsea steal wonderkid who 'expected' to be Newcastle's next signing after transfer u-turn". chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  4. ^ "'Whisper' wins senior call-up after stellar schoolboy football campaign". jamaicaobserver.com. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Knight, Chris (9 March 2023). "Meet the exciting striker 'expecting' to be Newcastle's next signing and holds Alan Shearer ambition". chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  6. ^ Knight, Chris (16 February 2023). "The inside story of Newcastle trialist who snubbed lucrative transfer for shot at Magpies dream". chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Dujuan Richards on Instagram: "💙💙#uptheblues💙"". Instagram. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Richards recruited". www.chelseafc.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Chelsea sign teenage Jamaica striker Richards" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Dujuan Richards completes Chelsea move". chelseafc.com. 12 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Dujuan Richards interview: The story behind Whisper, his Chelsea dream, and Sterling influence". www.chelseafc.com. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  12. ^ Reid, Paul (11 March 2023). "'HE'S READY'". jamaicaobserver.com. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  13. ^ Reid, Paul (11 March 2023). "T&T edge Reggae Boyz 1-0 in friendly international". jamaicaobserver.com. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  14. ^ Wheeler, Daniel (19 June 2023). "Demarai Gray named to Gold Cup squad". The Gleaner.
  15. ^ Mayo, Marc (29 June 2023). "Dujuan Richards gives Chelsea glimpse of potential with first Jamaica goal days after signing".
  16. ^ Stokes, Jake (29 June 2023). "Chelsea wonderkid sends message as Pochettino gifted 'next Bolt' transfer option". Football.London. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  17. ^ Kinsella, Nizaar (14 March 2023). "Who is Dujuan 'Whisper' Richards? Chelsea pip Newcastle to signing of 31-goal striker in latest youth drive". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  18. ^ a b Dujuan Richards at National-Football-Teams.com
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