By Emeka Blast 
Chelsea Legend Backs Pending Signing with Message: “Your Time Is Now”
Chelsea’s latest signing, 20-year-old winger Jamie Gittens, has received a ringing endorsement from former Blues loanee Jadon Sancho, who told the young star, “It’s your time to show everyone what you can do,” as the £55.5m (€65m) transfer from Borussia Dortmund nears completion. The England Under-21 international, who completed his medical on June 28, is set to join Chelsea after Dortmund’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirming the “here we go” deal on X, sparking excitement among fans.
Sancho, who spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Chelsea from Manchester United, has been a vocal supporter of Gittens, his former Dortmund teammate. “He wrote to me to say, ‘Keep it up,’” Gittens told the Dortmund website in December 2024, quoting Sancho’s message: “‘It’s your time.’ He’s a top player and a top friend.” Sancho also publicly praised Gittens last season, commenting “balla” on an Instagram post after the winger’s brace in a Champions League win over Club Brugge. “I’ve learned a lot from Jadon,” Gittens told German outlet WAZ in July 2024, citing tips on one- or two-touch play and deeper runs.
The £55.5m deal, finalized after Chelsea’s initial £42m bid was rejected, includes add-ons tied to appearances and achievements like Champions League success. Gittens, who scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 49 appearances for Dortmund in 2024-25, brings explosive pace (35.96km/h, 16th-fastest in the Bundesliga) and a knack for one-on-one duels, making him a perfect fit for Enzo Maresca’s high-pressing system. His arrival fills the void left by Sancho’s return to United and the expected departures of Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix, with Mykhailo Mudryk’s doping charge adding urgency to Chelsea’s winger search.
Chelsea’s dramatic 4-1 Club World Cup win over Benfica on June 28, sealed by late goals from Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer, set the stage for the announcement. Maresca, who slammed the tournament’s two-hour weather delay as a “joke,” praised his squad’s depth, hinting at Gittens’ role in bolstering the attack alongside recent £60m signing Joao Pedro and £30m striker Liam Delap. “We’re building something special,” Maresca said, with Palmeiras’ Estevao Willian also due to join post-tournament.
Bundesliga expert Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, writing for The Athletic, called Gittens a “good signing” for Chelsea, noting his “violent and artistic” goals and ability to drive into the box from the left, despite a confidence dip under Dortmund’s new manager Niko Kovac. Fan reactions on X are mixed, with some, like @CFCBluesTalk, hailing Gittens as “the next big thing,” while others question if he surpasses Sancho’s impact. @BlueArmyFan wrote, “Sancho’s backing is huge, but Gittens needs to prove it on the pitch.”
With Chelsea facing Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarter-final on July 5, Gittens’ integration post-tournament will be key. His seven-year contract until 2032 aligns with Chelsea’s youth-driven strategy under sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who are also eyeing a centre-back and possibly Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike. As the Blues aim for Premier League and Champions League glory, Gittens, backed by Sancho’s mentorship, could be the spark to ignite Maresca’s vision.
