Chelsea ace Omari Kellyman joins RC Strasbourg on a permanent deal | OneFootball

Forgotten Chelsea ace Omari Kellyman has completed a permanent move to RC Strasbourg, ending a nightmare two-year spell in London.

The Blues confirmed the transfer after he signed a five-year contract with the Ligue 1 club.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder has moved to Chelsea’s BlueCo sister club for an undisclosed fee.

Chelsea paid £19 million to sign Kellyman from Aston Villa in 2024. His first season at the club was badly affected by injuries, and he did not make a senior competitive appearance.

His fortunes improved significantly during a loan spell at Cardiff City last season.

Kellyman played an important role in the Welsh club’s promotion campaign, scoring 11 goals and two assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.

His performances also earned him the English Football League Young Player of the Month award in February.

Kellyman returned to Chelsea for pre-season and travelled with new manager Xabi Alonso’s squad for the club’s tour of Australia and Asia.

He came off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur and Western Sydney Wanderers, but it was clear that he was never in Alonso’s long-term plans.

A move to Strasbourg offers Kellyman the chance to play regularly and continue his development.

Chelsea have retained a buy-back option as part of the agreement, giving them a possible route to bring him back in the future.

Chelsea loanees Filip Jorgensen and Genesis Antwi, along with former Blues defender Ben Chilwell, alos play for the French club.

The relationship between the two clubs has become increasingly active in recent transfer windows.

Valentin Barco and Emmanuel Emegha moved from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer, while Diego Moreira left them for AC Milan in a £60m deal.

Several other Chelsea players have also gained experience at Strasbourg, including Aaron Anselmino, Mamadou Sarr, Mike Penders, Kendry Paez and David Datro Fofana.

Andrey Santos was another major success story, impressing during his loan spell in France before eventually joining Manchester United for £50m earlier this summer.