Photo: Ank kumar / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Jamie Gittens, Chelsea's summer signing from Borussia Dortmund, has described the journey that took him from youth football in Reading to Stamford Bridge, including stints at Manchester City and in Germany.
Gittens grew up in Caversham, on the outskirts of Reading, where he began playing football from the age of three or four. He went on to join Caversham Trents at five before later playing for Woodley Zebras and entering the Reading academy at under-9 level.
"When I was three or four I remember going to Emmer Green Park with my parents and my sister Chante and just having fun with the ball," Gittens said.
His development was not without setbacks. At one stage he was moved down an age group due to confidence issues, while being pushed up age groups at other points presented its own physical challenges against bigger and faster opponents.
"At one point I was playing down an age group because my confidence wasn't that good," he said. "I used to always get angry when I got tackled or the ref didn't give a foul. But it helped me in the long run."
Gittens joined Manchester City at under-14 level before signing his first professional contract with Borussia Dortmund shortly after his 16th birthday. The move to Germany coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, making the initial period particularly difficult.
"The first year, year-and-a-half was hard in Germany, but after that I got used to speaking German more, talking to my team-mates more," he said. "By the second year I was already adapted to it."
After early injury problems involving his shoulder and ankle, Gittens broke through during the 2021/22 season, shining in the UEFA Youth League before stepping up to Dortmund's first team. He went on to establish himself as a regular at the Bundesliga club.
Gittens, who comes from a sporting family — his father played cricket to a high level and his mother competed in athletics — said football has remained the central focus of his life.
"Football is my life. I just love playing football," he said.