McEachran completes Brentford move

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Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran has joined Brentford on a four-year deal.

The 22-year-old, who has been at Stamford Bridge since the age of seven, becomes the Bees’ sixth signing of the summer.

The fee is undisclosed, but is believed to be around £750,000.

McEachran spent last season on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands and so is well known to Brentford head coach Marinus Dijkhuizen, having played twice against his Excelsior side.

He made 21 appearances in all competitions for Vitesse and has previously had loan spells in the Championship with Wigan, Watford and Middlesbrough and in the top flight with Swansea.

Dijkhuizen said: “He was a big talent at Chelsea and now I look forward to working with him and our coaching staff in order to take Josh on to the next level.

“Although he played at Vitesse last season, he has good experience of English football and will be able to fit into our playing style very quickly.”

Once considered one of Chelsea academy’s brightest prospects, McEachran made his Blues debut in September 20, aged 17, as a substitute against MSK Zilina and played his first Premier League against Manchester City later that month.

He signed a five-year deal in July 2011 and later that year made his England Under-21 bow, but he went on to make just 22 appearances for Chelsea, his last coming at Wolves in January 2012.

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