Leicester sign Chelsea striker Dujuan Richards on loan after deadline-day twist | OneFootball

Leicester City have signed Chelsea striker Dujuan Richards on loan until the end of the season, a move that landed as a late-window surprise.

LeicesterMercury.co.uk reports that confirmation arrived nearly 24 hours after Monday's transfer deadline, with the Jamaica international brought in to address City's priority for a striker at the start of the window.

The deal only emerged in the final hours of deadline day. Richards becomes the fourth arrival of the window, following Joe Aribo, Jamaal Lascelles and Divine Mukasa.

Richards has yet to play a senior club game in England, having joined Chelsea from his native Jamaica in January 2024. Upon arrival he scored seven goals in 10 Premier League 2 matches for their Under-21s.

He missed the whole of last season with an ACL tear, then returned this campaign and has two goals in 11 outings for Chelsea's Under-21s, mostly from the right wing.

Leicester had explored other options. Veteran forward Michail Antonio trained with the club for a few weeks as a free agent but talks ended after he sustained a muscle injury at Seagrave. Attention then moved to Ibrahim Diabate, joint-top scorer in the Swedish top flight last season, but reports of advanced talks did not lead to a transfer.

Richards will now join a forward group including Jordan Ayew and Patson Daka, although he is not the prolific goal-getter many supporters wanted. The loan should be a low-cost gamble and could look a masterstroke if he recaptures his early Chelsea form.

Source: LeicesterMercury.co.uk