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Alex Kiwomya leaves Chelsea loan army for three-year deal with Doncaster Rovers

By George Perry

CREWE, ENGLAND - JULY 22: Alex Kiwomya of Crewe Alexandra prior to the Pre-Season Friendly between Crewe Alexandra and Bolton Wanderers at The Alexandra Stadium on July 22, 2016 in Crewe, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
CREWE, ENGLAND - JULY 22: Alex Kiwomya of Crewe Alexandra prior to the Pre-Season Friendly between Crewe Alexandra and Bolton Wanderers at The Alexandra Stadium on July 22, 2016 in Crewe, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) /
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Alex Kiwomya signed a permanent transfer to Doncaster Rovers. He leaves Chelsea after six seasons within the club, three loans and zero first team appearances.

Chelsea continues to whittle away at the loan army, finding forever homes for young players who are ready for regular first-team football somewhere other than Stamford Bridge. Alex Kiwomya signed a three-year contract with Doncaster Rovers. The Rovers will play in League One next season.

This will be a step up for Kiwomya, who played 2016/17 on loan at Crewe Alexandra in League Two. Kiwomya scored his first senior goal with Crewe Alexandra and finished with seven on the season. His loan was originally only for the first half, but Chelsea and Crewe agreed to extend it at Crewe’s request.

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Doncaster manager Darren Derguson hopes Alex Kiwomya will provide the offensive thrust to keep Doncaster moving upwards. They scored the most goals in League Two last season (85) en route to third place and automatic promotion.

"The main thing for me is getting consistent minutes on the pitch, the manager sees me as an important part of his plans so hopefully I can produce for him. I know the club came in for me a couple of times last season but we couldn’t get the deal done, it’s nice to know they’ve had their eye on me for a while. It was a hard decision to leave Chelsea as I’ve been there from the age of 14, but I think it was the right time to make a permanent move and show people what I can do. – Doncaster Rovers FC"

Before Crewe Alexandra, Kiwomya scored 35 goals over 119 appearances for Chelsea’s youth teams. He won two FA Youth Cups, the Under-21 Premier League and the UEFA Youth League with the academy.

A shoulder injury interrupted Kiwomya’s season at Crewe. This did not deter them from seeking to extend his loan, nor did it weaken Doncaster’s interest. As Kiwomya pointed out, the Rovers sought a permanent transfer last year.

Kiwomya would have had a difficult path into the first team. He has not yet played above League One, which speaks to Chelsea’s assessment of his ability as well as his development to date. He has many of the raw attributes to be a solid striker, particularly speed. Kiwomya was one of England’s top 100 meter sprinters at the youth levels.

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The Rovers have been in the Championship as recently as 2013/14, but have little success in the second division over the last decade. They finished 12th in the Championship in 2009/10. Their highest finished in that tier since then was 21st.

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