FORMER Chelsea wonderkid Josh McEachran is without a club after being released by League One side MK Dons.
The midfielder, 30, was tipped to go to the very top of world football and attracted offers from Real Madrid and Manchester United at the age of 16.
Getty Images – GettyJosh McEachran made a total of 22 appearances for Chelsea, which included turning out for The Blues in the Champions League[/caption]
The midfielder told the Daily Mail back in 2017 that he turned down the offers because he “believed he was going to make it”.
He said “When I made my (Chelsea) debut I thought, ‘Ah, that was a good choice for me to say no to Real Madrid,’ but looking back now maybe I should have (gone).”
The midfielder had been involved with first team training at Chelsea from the age of 15 onwards, having been called up from the youth team by then manager Carlo Ancelotti.
But he would go on to make just 11 appearances for Chelsea during his time at the club between 2010 and 2015.
The midfielder instead found himself bouncing between a number of clubs on loan, including Swansea City and Middlesbrough before joining Brentford permanently in 2015.
He made 101 appearances for the Bees before moving on to Birmingham City in 2019, where he made just 10 appearances during an injury-hit stint.
McEachran dropped down a league to join MK Dons in 2021.
After initially only training with the club to gain fitness, McEachran earned a series of contracts and made 100 appearances for the Milton Keynes side.
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But it was announced today that McEachran will be without a club going into the summer after MK Dons released their retained list.
McEachran was one of nine players released by MK Dons following their relegation to League Two.
Their relegation was sealed on the final day of the League One season, and sparked angry scenes that saw supporters confront Dons owner Pete Winkleman.