Newcastle United lose highly-rated England prospect to Chelsea after £928m transfer spend

Newcastle United are strengthening their youth ranks with a significant recruitment drive at academy level these days – but the Magpies have lost top talent Ollie Harrison to Chelsea.

Harrison, 16, has developed into an exciting prospect in Newcastle’s academy system but the Blues confirmed the deal on Monday, with the teenager signing a scholarship agreement. Harrison will link up with Chelsea’s U-18 side this season.

Chelsea have spent a whopping £928m on 20 players in little over a year but are clearly still keen to bolster their ranks at reserve and academy level after pinching highly-rated stars from Southampton, Arsenal and Benfica, as well as Newcastle.

Harrison has been capped by England at under-16 level and was part of the side that this year won the Mondial Montaigu Tournament in France.

“It was my first time away with England for the 50th anniversary of the tournament and it was class to win it, such a big tournament, which we hadn’t done for eight years. It’s something I will remember forever,” Harrison said of the experience.

“We faced Romania in the semis and I came on for the last half hour. It went to penalties, which was a nerve-racking experience, but I stepped up to take one and scored which is something I won’t forget. We won 8-7, which was a long shoot-out, and then we played Japan in the final.

“I started the final, which I was over the moon about, and played the full game. It went to another penalty shoot-out, which was a bit shorter than the last one, and the place just lit up when we won.

“It’s not easy winning on penalties, as we’ve seen over the years, but to win two shoot-outs was class. After we won the first one, we were quite positive and that made the victory even more sweeter.”