Jack Wakely is the Fleet’s first new signing to be announced ahead of our forthcoming Vanarama National League season as the defender joins from League One club Wycombe Wanderers on a season-long loan.

The big centre-back, aged 22, measures 6ft 4 in height and arrives with an excellent pedigree having come through the ranks at Chelsea.

Jack was at Stamford Bridge from the age of nine until turning professional with the Blues aged 17 in 2019. His first taste of senior football came with a loan spell at Basingstoke Town as a teenager and, while part of Chelsea’s development side, he also had a temporary period with Brighton and Leicester City U23s.

In all, Jack made 52 appearances for Chelsea’s U18s and U23s and was part of the 2017/18 U18 Premier League-winning squad (pictured below playing against Liverpool).

Embed from Getty Images

Wycombe Wanderers was the player’s next port of call, his hometown club, when he signed for them permanently in the summer of 2021 on a two-year deal after a successful trial. He made EFL Trophy appearances in his first year and his FA Cup and EFL debuts for the Chairboys came last season.

National League experience was also gained in 2022 as he featured in Maidenhead United’s final seven games of that season after joining the Magpies in the March, playing against the likes of Notts County and Grimsby Town.

Fleet fans will get their first chance to see Jack in action in our first pre-season friendly at Punjab United on July 1^st.