Town Agree Deal to Sign Chelsea Youngster
Tuesday, 20th Jan 2026 17:24

Town have agreed a deal to sign 19-year-old Chelsea forward Frankie Runham on loan with an obligation to buy.

Runham is yet to make a senior appearance, although has appeared for Chelsea’s U21s in the Vertu Trophy twice this season, and will go into John McGreal and Chris Casement’s development squad.

The West Londoners will have a buyback option once the deal becomes permanent.

An England U15, U16 and U18 international, Runham joined Chelsea aged eight and operates primarily wide on the right but is also versatile and can play across the frontline or in central midfield. He is also a free-kick specialist.

Town have looked to add players from big clubs such as Chelsea to their U21s squad over the last few seasons with Somto Boniface and Tudor Mendel also having previously come through the ranks at Stamford Bridge, the latter having spent a year at Anderlecht.

Photo: MI News via Reuters Connect

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.

Page:
1

John_Grose added 17:27 - Jan 20 Welcome Frankie, hope to see you breaking into first team contention at some point
5

Bucklebury_blue added 17:29 - Jan 20 Looks a bit different in this pic!
0

Wacko added 17:30 - Jan 20 Technically Mendel joined from Anderlecht...
2

cressi added 17:45 - Jan 20 Why bother they will get him back for next to nothing.
-5

RetroBlue added 18:00 - Jan 20 I get what we're trying to do and I'm learning now, that we play the financial game. Its not really the game of football anymore is it. He's " one for the future", I'm just not sure whose future, ours or Chelsea's? Also at this age group how likely is he going to contribute to the remaining games this season becuase we need an effective goal scoring striker, now!
9

Rimsy added 18:07 - Jan 20 If the buyback option is first refusal at market price, all good. Don't see the point if we're going to develop him the Chelsea take him on the cheap.
5

armchaircritic59 added 18:10 - Jan 20 As is often the case " one for the future ", but the question is who's ? While he's here for however long, I wish him the very best of luck.
2

Saxonblue74 added 18:19 - Jan 20 Becoming farcical isn't it? So we borrow him, develop him, then buy him but if he turns out to be a success we're obliged to sell him back?
9

blueoutlook added 18:19 - Jan 20 For once I agree with Cressi. The buy back clause will be in Chelsea’s favour if he is any good. If he isn’t and never makes it,well, we have paid good money for him anyway. Win win for Chelsea. See also Delap/Man City.
1

blueoutlook added 18:20 - Jan 20 Meant see also Delap and his buy out clause.
0

Mark added 18:32 - Jan 20 It would be good if the new football regulator could look into banning these buy-back deals, as they just allow the big clubs to get back assets if they come good. We don't really own a player if we are obliged to sell him.
6

little_boy_blue added 18:34 - Jan 20

So we buy an asset, develop it, and sell it in the future for a profit. It's business. The key is how much we have invested vs the risk and potential return. As much as I want to see us develop a great team and be successful, football is a business. If we want to compete, sadly, we need to do good business. We can debate if the deal is good business, and some deals have not been, but the value and strength of the club have grown under the current leadership, and so I think we need to trust them.

missingsuffolk added 19:09 - Jan 20 100% little_boy_blue. Ashton knows what he's doing.
0

Benji1611 added 20:46 - Jan 20 You lot need to chill out. They'll only buy him back if he's Delap level or better and if he is of that level, then we'll be very happy. Buy back will be £10m+. Be reyt.
1

hyperbrit added 21:56 - Jan 20 The saying"the table doesn't lie" tells us that we obviously do not need a striker to gain promotion only to provide a cushion.We will however need a striker if we are promoted and this lad may fill the bill over time. The problem is that the FA allows the Premiership to dominate English football with one sided rubbish such as the buy back clause
4

PapworthITFC added 22:11 - Jan 20 I always go straight to the comments on articles like this and I'm never disappointed. Supermarket staff, office workers, plumbers, builders... all tapping away on their keyboards about how they would structure multi million pound player deals differently, and without irony. Absolute comedy gold.
4

armchaircritic59 added 22:49 - Jan 20 PapworthITFC, you forgot someone like me, retired! You do however have a good point! As ever, we shall see what the future holds.
1

BobbyBell added 22:58 - Jan 20

Sensible football business. This club need to make money and this is one way of doing it. Did we not make good money on Hutchinson and Delap? MA & KM know what they are doing and ensuring a long term financial security for our club.
Why do people keep saying that we need a goal scorer? We have plenty of goal scorers, two of whom are in double figures and we are second highest goal scorers in the Championship.. We have 15 players who have scored this season, surely that's harder to defend against than one main goal scorer.

Bazza8564 added 23:59 - Jan 20 A buy back clause (as we saw with Philogene from Hull to Villa) is only activated when the host club decides to sell. And sorry but how does this acquisition impact our ability to sign other players??? RetroBlue, do you know something we don't about this limiting our ability to sign another striker, because I can't see that anywhere??
-1

Steelmonkey added 16:41 - Jan 22 Yes we saw this with Philogene, Villa activates his buy back clause fee then sells him later to us for a £4m profit.
0