The son of a former Super League star has reportedly signed a long-term deal with World Club Cup champions Chelsea Football Club.

Chelsea are one of the sport’s leading sides, as evidenced by the fact they won the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup which was held in the United States of America earlier this month.

They already have a rugby league connection with ex-Wigan Warriors forward Willie Isa joining the club in an off-field role after he announced his shock retirement on the eve of the current season.

Isa has been appointed as a ‘Player Support and Development Officer’, working in and around the men’s team in terms of operations and player welfare.

The Club World Cup champions have now delved into rugby league once again but this time to sign a player with Isaac McGillvary, the son of legendary Huddersfield Giants star Jermaine, reportedly signing a deal with the club’s academy system.

Son of Super League legend Jermaine McGillvary signs for Chelsea

Reports that Isaac McGillvary would sign with Chelsea were reported in early July by Football Insider with those reports claiming that the 14-year-old had been offered a six-year deal with the club.

Fast forward a month and leading football journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that McGillvary has signed with Chelsea, though there is no mention of the contract length.

Per Romano: “Chelsea have completed (a) deal for the Academy to sign talented attacking midfielder Isaac McGillvary.

“One of the most promising talents in the UK at his age, Isaac joins the Chelsea project to further his development. CFC delighted with this important youth addition.”

McGillvary had been part of Manchester City’s academy set-up and he’s also featured for his nation at under-14 level.

His father, Jermaine, hung up the boots at the end of the 2024 season after finishing his career with a one-year deal at Wakefield where he helped guide them back to Super League.

McGillvary had spent his career with Huddersfield Giants where he’s rightly thought of as a club legend, however, he left at the end of 2023 after no new deal was offered.

His son isn’t the first with a talented rugby league father to follow a career in football with Kylie Leuluai’s son Marley signing for Burnley in late 2023.