It’s no accident that he’s back with the Blues. Our latest signing spent a brief period in our youth sector, dreaming of plying his trade in the Premier League one day. That dream is set to become a reality.

It’s been quite the journey for Gittens, the man who has pushed himself well out of his comfort zone to, ultimately, earn a return to Chelsea as a professional, battle-harden for the rigours of the English top flight and Europe’s premium club competition.

The cyclical nature of the moment has not gone unnoticed.

‘It feels very full circle,’ says Gittens. ‘I was at Chelsea when I was at Under-8 or Under-9 level, around that time. I wasn’t there for long, but I remember going to Chelsea and being so excited to come back from school to join Chelsea for two hours, once a week. It was a great feeling.

‘I remember playing at Reading and Manchester City and having to play Chelsea in the youth academies, so to go back to Cobham as a Chelsea player will be great.’

It was at the Manchester City academy when a 15-year-old Gittens earned the chance to play above his age group in the Under-18 side.

In 2019, the young winger was brought on at half-time in a game against Liverpool youth and made an immediate impact. Rounding the goalkeeper to slot home City’s fifth goal in a 5-2 win, he also struck the post with another attempt.

Also on the scoresheet that day was Liam Delap. The attacking pair will be reunited at Chelsea, along with Cole Palmer, another ex-Man City youth sector graduate.

Reuniting with former colleagues – and friends – was a key factor in why Jamie was so keen to ensure Stamford Bridge was his next destination.

The duo, to their credit, were also instrumental in making sure the winger was fully aware of the perfect atmosphere with the Blues.

‘I played with Cole at Under-16s and Under-18s, and Liam the same,’ Gittens grins. ‘And I’ve played against Levi (Colwill) from every single time we’d play against Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup, Premier League tournaments, the lot.

‘I had a couple of text messages from Cole telling me to come, the same from Liam, and all of them were eager for me to join.’

Completing the circle feels like a real coming-of-age moment for Gittens. Yet the road to returning to Chelsea has been far from easy for him. Resilience has been the key to overcoming every obstacle that has been placed on his path.

Borussia Dortmund was the destination after Man City, which meant moving abroad at the age of just 16.

‘I think I left England a boy, but I’ve come back as a man,’ he says. ‘Before I went to Dortmund, I was living by myself in digs in Manchester, so I’ve lived without my family since I was 14. Since then, I’ve developed as a man.

‘It was massive for me. I went there during lockdown – it was Covid times – so I was stuck in the youth house at Dortmund and, during the first year and a half, there were no football games, only training. Then I had an injury, so it took me two years to get into my rhythm properly. It wasn’t easy being injured; it was tough, but you learn a lot during difficult periods, and after that, it was quite smooth.

‘It was lots of FaceTime calls with my mum, dad and sister. Playing with my friends on PlayStation, going into party chat, but it made me better and more resilient to challenges by living alone. It taught me a lot about how to be patient and how to keep working without being distracted.

‘I learned a lot from some of the first team players like Marco Reus. I learned a lot there, even as a human being. I lived alone, I had to do the washing up and dishwasher by myself.’

They say that pressure creates diamonds, and Chelsea have now landed themselves a gem.

Gittens already has Champions League experience and – in another moment that could be seen as serendipitous – he made his debut in the competition when Borussia Dortmund faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in February 2023.

Just over a year later, Dortmund reached the Champions League final. Gittens is targeting a repeat of that moment with the Blues.

‘To play at Dortmund’s stadium in front of 81,000 a week is pressure,’ the new recruit states. ‘Over time, I’ve built the confidence to thrive under that pressure – it benefits me. It was really good for me to go there and show the world what I can do. Doing it in the Bundesliga, which is a very competitive, physical league, was not easy, but I really enjoyed the experience.

‘Although I played only five minutes [in the Champions League final], it was a dream come true, and with Chelsea, it could happen again with these quality players. It did feel weird that it was at Wembley because normally it’s in other places that host, and to be not far from where I live was cool.’

Gittens has grown up idolising Chelsea stars, something he revealed in our exclusive chat, dreaming of making his debut in the Premier League.

Now he’s put pen to paper, he’s eager to get down to business in the blue of Chelsea.

‘I did watch Chelsea when I was younger,’ he continues. ‘Not in the stadium but on the TV at home in Reading, during the time of the Eden Hazard era. Eden was the clear player for me at that time. I liked Willian as well, another attacker. He had that little shimmy he did, I liked that.

‘It’s my dream to play in the Premier League. Obviously, watching it from Germany, it’s a really intense league. Every week is a battle, and I feel like I can enter that battle strongly. I’m excited to join this team that have a winning mentality – that’s the main thing.

‘I just want to keep improving, especially as a footballer and a human being. I want to be more consistent and keep learning.

‘It’s a great feeling to join Chelsea, such a big club. I can’t wait to learn from everyone in the team and to push myself to the max here. It’s amazing.’

That dream is set to become a reality. Jamie’s journey has come full circle and yet it’s only just getting started.