Chelsea won comfortably on their FA cup trip to Hull city on 13th Feb 2026. They won 0-4 with the help of a Neto Hatrick and Estevao goal. But this wasn’t the only talking point from the match. Another one being the debut of Chelsea youth player Jesse Derry.
The 18 year old made his debut in the 77th minute replacing Estevao. He posted on Instagram after the game, “What a night. An absolute honour to make my debut for this massive club.”
But the thing that surprised was the comments on the post with former United player Rio Ferdinand writing-“Memory for lifetime”.
Grealish wrote, “Congrats bro was top when you came on also”.
And current Arsenal star Eberechi Eze also dropped a heart emoji.
Fans seemed confused as to why a youngster was getting so much attention by these accomplished players.
We answer that question here and his connection to players commenting on IG after the game.
Who is Jesse Derry’s father?
His father, Shaun Derry, is a well-respected former Premier League midfielder and coach. He made his name for clubs like Sheffield United, Leeds United, Portsmouth, and Crystal Palace, where he had two separate spells and became a cult hero for his leadership and grit. He famously captained Crystal Palace during their administration struggles, establishing a legacy.
After hanging up his boots, Shaun moved into the dugout, building a respectable coaching resume. He managed Notts County and Cambridge United in the lower leagues before returning to top football. He spent time as the U23 manager and later a first-team coach at Crystal Palace under Patrick Vieira, and most recently served as the assistant manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers under Gary O’Neil.
Connection with Rio
Furthermore, Derry is represented by New Era Global Sports, the agency co-founded by Rio Ferdinand. This explains why Ferdinand is often the first to comment on his achievements; it is a blend of genuine mentorship and strategic brand-building for a player they believe is the “next big thing.”
Rio Ferdinand and his father Shaun are friends. Shaun also played alongside Rio’s brother, Anton Ferdinand, at Loftus Road. They were teammates during QPR’s troubled but memorable Premier League stint around 2011–2012.
In that dressing room, Shaun was a senior figure and vice-captain, often doing the hard work in midfield.
Connection with Eze
For Eze, well, Derry was signed from Crystal Palace with his contract expiring in the summer. He had many offers, he chose Chelsea. There at Palace he was multiple times called up to train with the senior team.
He was Palace’s U18 Player of the Season and a known commodity in the cages and academies of South London. Eze, the current king of that specific playground, would have seen Derry coming through the ranks at Copers Cope Road.
Connection with Grealish
For Grealish, the shoutout is more stylistic. If you’ve watched Derry play for Chelsea’s U21s or previously for Crystal Palace’s U18s, the comparison is undeniable.
Derry doesn’t just play like Grealish; he mirrors him. The low socks, the distinct hairstyle, the gait, and that specific penchant for pausing on the ball to draw a foul before driving inside—it is a clear homage. He even himself says that he was inspired by Grealish growing up.
In an interview he gave to Palace TV in 2023 after winning GOTM he said “Yeah, it’s Grealish, I guess. Yeah, no, he’s been my idol since I’ve been growing up.And obviously, when he was at Notts County with Dad, I got to watch him when he was young. So I wouldn’t say I base my game off him, but I do take a lot of his aspects into my game.”
Last season (2024/25) at Crystal Palace was an effective one for Derry. Fresh off a 2023/24 campaign where he scored 16 goals in 22 games to win Palace’s U18 Player of the Season, Derry spent 2024/25 proving he had completely outgrown that level.
Since crossing London last summer, he hasn’t just been a squad player; he has been the main character for the U21s and U19s. In the Premier League 2, he has racked up 5 goals and 3 assists in 13 appearances, including a clutch 86th-minute winner against Burnley and a goal in a 5-0 rout of Newcastle. Looks less like a lucky break and more likely promotion to a senior side for Derry at Chelsea.
