Chelsea is delighted to confirm defender Alfie Gilchrist has signed a new contract until 2026, with a further one-year option.
The Academy graduate has established himself in the first team squad this season under Mauricio Pochettino and has made 12 senior appearances for the Blues.
‘Signing this contract at Chelsea is a massive achievement for me and my family,’ said Gilchrist. 'It was a no-brainer and every time I’ve signed a contract here it has felt nicer and nicer. But now I want to keep on pushing on and keep improving.’
Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: 'We are delighted to give Alfie this new contract at Chelsea.
'It has been a pleasure to see him continue his development within the club by breaking into the first-team squad this season. We are looking forward to seeing him progress further in the years to come.'
A boyhood Chelsea supporter, Gilchrist joined our Academy as an Under-11 and moved through the age groups at Cobham.
It was during the 2020/21 campaign that he cemented himself as a regular for the Under-18s. Gilchrist captained the side on multiple occasions, was named Scholar of the Year, and signed a professional contract.
The following season, Gilchrist captained the Under-18s to the Premier League Cup and made ten appearances for our Under-21s.
He became a regular at that level last season and took on the captaincy midway through the campaign after Bashir Humphreys departed on loan.
Gilchrist continued as Under-21s skipper at the start of the season but by December had established himself in the first team squad under Pochettino. His debut against Crystal Palace followed and Gilchrist has made 11 further appearances.
Congratulations, Alfie!