Sources: Chelsea in advanced talks to sell McCormick to Wimbledon with sell-on clause
AFC Wimbledon are in advanced talks to sign Chelsea midfielder Luke McCormick, Football Insider understands.
The Premier League giants have given their academy product the green light to find a new club.
A recruitment source told Football Insider that Wimbledon are negotiating a free transfer for McCormick but there will be a sell-on clause included in the deal.
The 22-year-old has been on the books of Chelsea since he was nine and spent last season on loan at Bristol Rovers.
Chelsea described him as a "hard-working, tough-tackling central midfield player" when in 2019 he signed a deal committing him to the club until 2022.
McCormick made his senior debut in August that year during a season-long loan stretch at League One Shrewsbury Town.
He made eight appearances in total during his time in Shropshire as the Shrews finished in 15th place in the third-tier.
A versatile midfield player, McCormick shone in several different roles with Bristol Rovers in 2020-21.
He was deployed primarily as a conventional midfielder but also featured as a defensive pivot and classic number 10.
It was a chaotic season for Rovers who were relegated in May and worked their way through three different managers throughout the campaign.
Wimbledon meanwhile saw Glyn Hodges replaced at the helm by Mark Robinson in January as they ultimately finished 19th in League One.
Chelsea have a plethora of midfield options and McCormick did not have an obvious pathway into the first-team.
His only appearances in a Chelsea shirt have come during his time with the academy across various age groups.
But he was held in high regard by youth management figures at the club as evidenced by him captaining Chelsea sides at U19 and U23 levels.