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Chelsea’s lost wonderkids: Josh McEachran, the new hope

By Akshat Mehrish

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: Josh McEachran of Chelsea holds off Jason Scotland of Ipswich Town during the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON 3rd round match between Chelsea and Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge on January 9, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: Josh McEachran of Chelsea holds off Jason Scotland of Ipswich Town during the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON 3rd round match between Chelsea and Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge on January 9, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images) /
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MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND – MARCH 09: Josh McEachran of MK Dons during the Sky Bet League One match between Milton Keynes Dons and Blackpool at Stadium mk on March 09, 2021 in Milton Keynes, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND – MARCH 09: Josh McEachran of MK Dons during the Sky Bet League One match between Milton Keynes Dons and Blackpool at Stadium mk on March 09, 2021 in Milton Keynes, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /

Where is he now? 

After leaving Chelsea, McEachran signed with Brentford in 2015. At Brentford, the midfielder would enjoy the most consistent period of his career, playing over a hundred times for the club. However, persistent injury troubles restricted him for much of his spell at Griffin Park and he left permanently for Birmingham in 2019.

Bad luck followed McEachran to West Midlands. He tore his cruciate ligament in just his seventh start for the club and was ruled out for nine months. He remained with the club until January 2021, following which he was removed from the first team squad and eventually the club via a mutual contract termination.

In March 2021, a month after leaving Birmingham, McEachran signed a short-term contract with MK Dons. He has played six times for the Dons already, as they continue to fight for a League One play-off spot. Meanwhile, the McEachran legacy continues at Stamford Bridge, with younger brother George now hoping to break into the senior team.

Like Josh, George too grew up training at Cobham and has been a part of several Chelsea youth sides. He is yet to make an appearance for the first team, but remarkably has a senior medal already. Maurizio Sarri decided to take the midfielder with him to Baku, to fill the numbers on the bench for Chelsea in the 2018/19 Europa League final. Although he did not make an appearance for the winning side that night, he was awarded a medal as part of the winning squad.

Next. Chelsea’s lost wonderkids: Patrick Bamford and what could’ve been. dark

The younger McEachran will hope that the recent cultural change at the club allows him to prove himself at the senior level—an opportunity that his brother never really received.

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