Chelsea midfielder Alex Matos joins Huddersfield Town on loan

Huddersfield Town have officially confirmed the loan signing of Alex Matos, a 19-year-old midfielder from Chelsea, for the remainder of the 2023/24 Sky Bet Championship campaign.

Matos, who progressed through the youth ranks at Luton Town and Norwich City before joining Chelsea in July 2023, has made two appearances for the Premier League club this season.

Matos' talent has seen him selected amongst Chelsea’s first team substitutes on 14 occasions across all competitions, including their last nine Premier League fixtures. His performances at both senior and Under-21 levels have drawn favorable comparisons to Chelsea's former midfielder N’Golo Kante.

A versatile player, Matos is adept in various midfield roles, including box-to-box, attacking midfield, or as a deep-lying playmaker. He will be taking squad number 21 at Huddersfield Town.

Mark Cartwright, Sporting Director of Huddersfield Town, shared his thoughts on the signing: “It’s rare that young players of Alex’s ability become available to loan, but thanks in part to the relationship we have built with Chelsea and our reputation in helping talented young players grow, it was clear to both parties that this would be a mutually beneficial move."

Cartwright added, “There’s been no secret about Alex’s ability since his time with Norwich City, so it was no surprise to see a side of Chelsea’s stature come in to sign him in the summer. It speaks volumes about his character and ability that, having only recently turned 19, he’s already placed himself within first team consideration."

“Alex brings us fresh energy and dynamism within our midfield options, whilst complementing the players we already have to call on. We think those relationships and partnerships will quickly flourish, and we look forward to watching on to see how he progresses over the next few months in blue and white,” Cartwright concluded.

Darren Moore, Manager of Huddersfield Town, also expressed his enthusiasm: “With so many important games to come, improving our options in midfield early in the window was crucial as we’ve seen the impact that injuries can have on the way we want to play as a team."

Moore continued, “Alex has a fantastic pedigree, exciting career to date and huge hunger and desire to succeed right at the very highest level of the game - as his Manager, it’s that mentality and application that I find most exciting about him. A little bit different to all of our current options, I’m keen to get working with him straight away to see how his game can complement and enhance not only his teammates in midfield, but the side as a whole.”