Chelsea have reportedly completed the signing of Southampton starlet Jimmy-Jay Morgan on a permanent deal.
The 17-year-old forward began his youth career with the West Londoners before joining the Saints where he emerged as one of the club's brightest academy prospects.
Morgan has contributed with four goals and five assists in eight Premier League 2 games for Southampton's Under-21s this season, while he scored a brace in an FA Youth Cup fourth-round win over Aston Villa in mid-January.
However, the teenager recently turned down a contract offer to remain at St Mary's, and The Athletic claims the forward felt that he was not receiving ample first-team opportunities under Nathan Jones.
Jones was recently questioned about Morgan's future at the club and stated that he hoped the youngster would make the "right choices" to benefit his career.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Southampton's FA Cup win over Blackpool last Saturday, Jones said: "Jimmy is a fantastic player with a bright future if he picks the right choices and the people that are working with him handle him well and if we work him in training and develop him into the right level.
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"If it's right for us tomorrow to put a youngster in, we'll do it. What we won't do is put anyone in gratuitously. They have to earn it, they have to be ready. When they do and they get their opportunities, we'd like them to take it, so we'll see."
Morgan, who is yet to make his professional debut and has been an unused substitute on four occasions for Southampton's senior side this season, allegedly attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Leeds United after turning down a contract offer from the Saints.
The England Under-17 international was understood to have 18 months remaining on his scholarship deal, and Southampton were unwilling to part ways with the talented forward.
However, according to both The Athletic and The Express, Chelsea have completed the signing of Morgan, with the latter report claiming that the Blues managed to finalise the forward's transfer on deadline day.
Chelsea have fended off strong competition to win the race for Morgan's signature and are set to pay a significant compensation fee for the academy starlet.
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Although the compensation fee is yet to be determined, Chelsea have now spent in excess of £320m on new signings in the January transfer window, more than every other Premier League club combined.
It was announced in the early hours of Wednesday morning that Chelsea have completed the signing of midfielder Enzo Fernandez for a British-record fee of around £106.8m, penning a contract until 2031.
Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos and Malo Gusto have also joined on permanent deals in January – the latter of whom has returned to Lyon on loan – while Joao Felix has signed on loan from Atletico Madrid for the rest of the season.
Graham Potter's side currently sit 10th in the Premier League table, 10 points behind the top four, and they will welcome West London rivals Fulham to Stamford Bridge for their next match on Friday night.
Oliver Thomas
