Ishe Samuels-Smith: Nigeria Eligible Star Dumps Chelsea, Completes Big Move to France
- Ishe Samuels-Smith has signed a five-year deal with French Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg for a fee around £6.5million
- The defender joined Chelsea from Everton for £4m in 2023 but never played a senior match due to competition within the squad
- His transfer becomes the second permanent transfer between the clubs owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital
Chelsea star Ishe Samuels-Smith has signed a five-year contract with French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, a fellow club owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
The 19-year-old valued at £6.5million will now play at Strasbourg, which finished seventh and qualified for the Conference League.
It is now the second permanent transfer between the clubs, following midfielder Mathis Amougou’s move for a similar fee.
Source: Getty Images
Reports have it that three loan deals are also expected, including goalkeeper Mike Penders, already Strasbourg’s new number one, alongside defender Mamadou Sarr and midfielder Kendry Paez.
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Chelsea has continued to adopt the multiclub model in the transfer of players, but it may raise concerns about compliance with financial regulations.
Samuels-Smith, who joined the London club from Everton for £4m in 2023, never played for their first team.
Who is Ishe Samuels-Smith?
Born in Manchester, England, the defender progressed through Everton’s academy since age nine, where he was named the best player in his age group.
He was twice named on the senior bench under managers Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche but did not feature.
In April 2025, he signed a contract with Chelsea until 2031 in April 2025 after showcasing versatility as a left-back and centre-back, per BBC Sport.
Samuels-Smith played 32 matches for Chelsea’s U21s, scoring twice, and captained the side eight times.
He also appeared in senior match-day squads for Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup games, but never debuted.
The youngster can still represent Nigeria at the senior national football team through family ties, and earlier reports have it that Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle is willing to convince the England-born defender to switch international allegiance to Nigeria.
Fans have taken to social media to react to Samuels-Smith's transfer. An unimpressed @Pratikmufc wrote on X:
Chelsea FC's financial manoeuvres raise eyebrows.
"They appear to be funnelling funds to purchase their own players from the Saudi league at exorbitant rates.
"Additionally, they’re reportedly selling their own assets back to themselves at inflated valuations to skirt Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
"To top it off, they’re offloading players to their affiliated club at suspiciously high prices, seemingly to dodge PSR regulations."
@ITheDetail added:
"Why don’t we sell all our less potential academy players to Nice? Free up a bit of cash flow for some actual signings?"
@drummervince52 posited:
"Good deal for Chelsea and some extra cash to splash on incoming deals."
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Source: Getty Images
Chelsea sign Nigerian striker
Legit.ng earlier reported that Chelsea completed the signing of 13-year-old Nigerian striker, Chidimma Nwokedi, a sensational young talent who has stunned football fans with her incredible goal-scoring exploits.
Chidimma’s move is not just a proud moment for her and her family but also a major win for Nigerian football fans who continue to follow emerging female stars abroad.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
