‘THIS IS A GREAT STEP’
Butler believes loan move to Leicester will prove pivotal for ‘Whisper’
Published:Tuesday | February 3, 2026 | 12:16 AMGregory Bryce/Staff Reporter
Craig Butler, agent of Jamaican international Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards, says the player’s loan move to Leicester City is a positive step in his football development.
Richards is set to complete a loan move to English Football League (EFL) Championship club Leicester, from Premier League outfit Chelsea, for the remainder of the season.
Butler said the loan move came at the right time for Richards, who he believes is ready to play regular minutes in senior football.
Richards signed a pre-contract with Chelsea in 2023, before officially joining the club in 2024, where he has been playing in the club’s youth academy.
Butler said, as his agent, it is his duty to ensure Richards is playing in the most competitive environment for his development.
Not enough
He said playing in Chelsea’s U21 set-up was not enough for his player, so they went searching for a loan move away to secure senior minutes.
“Remember that Whisper has a manager, and my job as his manager is to ensure he is getting the best possible opportunities as a player, so that he can shine on the pitch,” Butler said.
“Just like Leon (Bailey), where we’re ensuring he’s getting his chances coming back to Aston Villa, Whisper’s U21 games were not enough for a player of his calibre. So we decided to go and look at the market, present Whisper, and several clubs were interested.”
Butler said Richards had garnered attention from several clubs, which included Premier League outfit Everton and Championship club Blackburn Rovers.
However, they chose to join Leicester for the remainder of the season due to the club’s previous handling of Jamaican players.
Former Reggae Boy Wes Morgan had played for Leicester for nine years, which included their Premier League-winning campaign where he captained the Foxes to glory.
More recently, Jamaican midfielder Bobby De Cordova-Reid plies his trade at Leicester, which gave Butler confidence that Leicester was the right pick.
“In playing in the Championship, he will get the first-team time on the pitch that he needs to show his quality at the ‘big-man’ level,” Butler said.
“If you also will recognise, Leicester has a strong history with Jamaicans. From Wes Morgan coming up, and we now have Bobby Reid there. So I believe that it’s a good opportunity for Whisper to start, to perform, and to deliver.”
High expectations
Butler holds high expectations for Richards’ time at Leicester, expectations the player also holds for himself.
Butler said Richards is ready to show his talent and is excited to begin life at Leicester.
“What is important to recognise is that this is a great step in his career path, and we at Phoenix Sports Management are pleased to be the conduit for that.
“He’s excited. He was made promises and he waited a very long time for those promises to come through, and now is the time for him to play in the first team and show his ability. He’s raring to go.”
Leicester currently sit 16th in the Championship table, but are only nine points adrift from the promotion play-off spots.