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Juventus confirm Iling-Junior signing following teen star's Chelsea exit
The England youth international winger will continue his development at the Allianz Stadium after leaving Stamford Bridge over the weekend
Juventus have confirmed the signing of Samuel Iling-Junior following his departure from Chelsea.
The 16-year-old, who has been training with the Italian giants since July, completed a long-awaited move to the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday.
Iling-Junior was unveiled alongside France U-17 international Felix Nzouango, who agreed a deal to join Juve from French outfit Amiens earlier this summer.
Chelsea were reluctant to lose Iling-Junior and offered him the chance to sign his first professional contract at Stamford Bridge, but his head was turned when the reigning Serie A champions registered their interest back in May.
The teenage winger confirmed his exit in a heartfelt post on social media on Sunday, which read: "Full of vast emotions, being at Chelsea from such a young age has truly built me, not only as the player I am today but also as a person.
“It’s been a blessed journey and I’m deeply thankful for all those in the Academy. From the groundsmen, kitchen staff, players, coaches, the list goes on.
“I would also like to give thanks to the people around me, my family and friends who have consistently supported me.
"This is just the start. I wish Chelsea all the best for the seasons ahead."
The likes of Bayern Munich, Ajax and Schalke had also been linked with Iling-Junior before he opted for Juve, having seen the talented youngster impress for Chelsea's U-18 side last season.
He has become the third player to leave Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window, following the departures of experienced first-team duo Pedro and Willian, who went on to join Roma and Arsenal respectively as free agents.
Frank Lampard has, however, been able to add a number of new players to his ranks ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, with former Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva the latest man to arrive in west London.
The Brazilian joined the club on a free after leaving Parc des Princes, with Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell also snapped up as Chelsea bid to close the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
The Blues have also signed Malang Sarr from Nice on a five-year deal, and Goal understands that they have reached an agreement to bring in Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial fee of £72 million ($97m).
