Highlights

  • Chelsea's strategy of buying superstars from overseas makes it difficult for young academy prospects to break into the first team, resulting in many talented youngsters being released.
  • In 2012, Chelsea signed three brothers from Luton Town in an unusual deal worth a significant amount of money for a non-league club.
  • Jay Dasilva, one of the three brothers, went on to have the most successful career, representing England U21s and playing for Coventry City in the Championship. Rio Dasilva currently plays for Hitchin Town in the seventh tier of English football, while Cole Dasilva has had various spells at different clubs in the lower leagues.

Chelsea are one of the most successful clubs in English football. The west London club has won six top-flight titles, eight FA Cups, five League Cups and two Champions Leagues among many other trophies.

And in recent years under the ownerships of both Roman Abramovich and Todd Boehly, they've spent a ridiculous amount of money. The two owners haven't been shy in putting their hands in their pockets to buy the very best players on the market - and it usually pays off in the form of trophies.

By buying superstars from oversees, it's very difficult for young academy prospects to make the step up to first team football. Graduates have to be extremely talented to represent Chelsea at first team level, knowing they're competing against multi-million-pound players for a starting spot.

When Chelsea signed three brothers from Luton

It means that a lot of youngsters fall by the wayside and are released from Chelsea. That's what happened to three young brothers signed from Luton Town in 2012. Twelve-year-old twins Rio and Cole Dasilva, as well as their older 13-year-old brother Jay, were signed by the Blues for a five-figure sum each.

At the time, Luton were in the National League Conference. In the previous season, they lost in the Playoff final against AFC Wimbledon on penalties to deny them a place in the Football League. It meant they would be playing non-league football for a third consecutive season. Of course, a little more than a decade later and they're in England's top-flight playing Premier League football.

While they're now worth million having gained promotion to the Premier League, the deal at the time was worth a lot of money for the club. For a Premier League club to look to non-league to sign one player is unusual enough. But for them to sign three players in the same deal was unprecedented. Especially with the three players being brothers.

But that's exactly what happened in one of the strangest transfers in English football.

“This is a historic deal to see three brothers transferred together,” Gregg Broughton, Luton’s head of youth at the time, said.

“And now after six months, we are delighted that they have found a club where they are settled.

"I am hesitant to talk about the boys in the collective term because they have all have wonderful unique attributes, but this is a historical deal to see three brothers transferred together.

"Following our loss in the play-offs last season we were told that the boys wished to look at other options, as was their prerogative to do so, and now after six months of uncertainty, we are delighted that they have found a club where they are settled and one that recognises the development work that Luton Town have put in over the last five years.

"Jay is a special talent, a fantastic student of the game whose temperament complements his technical ability. Cole has strong physical attributes and is very comfortable in possession while Rio is a real livewire, whose ability to play in tight areas has always allowed him to shine. Their family has a strong footballing background with older brother Ryan playing as a professional here at Kenilworth Road and father Trevor also a very talented player in the past.

"We never like to lose talented players from the club, but if players are unsettled and wish to look elsewhere, and the deal is right for all parties, then it is the most sensible way to progress. We would like to thank Chelsea for the professional manner in which they have conducted themselves and wish the boys the very best for their ongoing careers."

Luton's badge features a hat.

If all three went on to represent Chelsea’s first team, the value of the deal would increase to over £1 million. That didn't quite happen but what has happened to the careers of the three players since 2012?

Let's take a look:

Jay Dasilva

Jay Dasilva

You may have heard of Jay. Now 25, the defender plays for Coventry City in the Championship having represented England U21s on 13 occasions. In fact, he's played for England at U16, U17, U18, U19, U20 and U21 level.

While at Chelsea, he failed to make a first-team appearance but did win the UEFA Youth League twice in 2014/15 and 2015/16. He spent a season and a half at Charlton in League One before signing permanently for Bristol City, following a loan move.

He spent four seasons in the south west with Bristol City, playing 144 times in all competitions. But he released at the end of his contract in the summer of 2023 and was snapped up by Coventry, who signed him on a four-year deal.

After announcing the deal, Coventry manager Mark Robins said: “We are delighted to announce Jay as our first signing of the 2023/24 season.

“We have monitored Jay for a while now and are delighted that, despite interest from elsewhere, he has decided to join Coventry City.

“He is dynamic, attack-minded wing back with great technical ability, who will add further quality and pace to our squad. We look forward to working with him.”

Rio Dasilva

Rio Dasilva Hitchin

However, it’s been a tougher career for Rio to date. A year younger, he left Chelsea at U16 level and, after a spell with Dunstable Town, Rio, 23, is now in the Southern League Premier Division Central with Hitchin Town - the 7th tier of English football.

Cole Dasilva

Cole Dasilva

Rio’s twin lasted slightly longer at Chelsea, making 18 appearances for Chelsea’s U21 side, as well as playing 27 times for the Blues’ U19 team.

He had brief spells at Brentford and Leicester before making the move to HNK Sibenik in the Croatian top-flight. In March 2022, he returned to England with National League South club Oxford City. Spells at Hemel Hempstead Town, Royston Town and is now at Biggleswade Town in the Southern League First Division Central.

Interestingly, Cole decided to represent Wales and made three appearances for their U21 side.