Chelsea beat Manchester United to complete the signing of 18-year-old left-back Dylan Williams from Derby

 

Chelsea have completed the signing 

of 18-year-old left-back Dylan Williams

 from Derby County for an undisclosed 

fee.

Williams made a total of nine first-team

 appearances for the Rams having 

played for the first time in their FA 

Cup defeat to Chorley last season.

He is Chelsea's first signing of the 

January transfer window with Derby 

boss Wayne Rooney saying on Friday that

 he 'couldn't stand in the way of 

his opportunity.'

Williams, who made the step up to first

-team football at the stricken Championship

 club at the beginning of the season, 

posted pictured of himself signing 

his Chelsea deal on his Instagram 

account.

He wrote: 'Wow. I am absolutely delighted

 to have signed for one of the biggest

 clubs in the world.

'Thank you so much for everything 

the staff and players have done at 

Derby County. I cannot wait to get 

started at Chelsea.'

The transfer fee has not yet been 

confirmed by Derby's Quantum's

 but will provide a welcome boost to 

the coffers with the club in a dire

 financial situation.

They need to inform the EFL by next 

week how they intend to find the

 £5million needed to keep the club 

running for the remainder of the 

season or face possible liquidation.

Williams is the fifth player to leave 

Derby this month after David Marshall

, Phil Jagielka, Graeme Shinnie and

 Sam Baldock.

The Rams, who lost 2-1 to rivals 

Nottingham Forest on Saturday, are 

23rd in the Championship table and

 eight points from safety following 

their 21-point deduction earlier this season.