Born in Kingston upon Thames, London, Gilchrist started his career at local side Old Isleworthians Youth F.C. and Queens Park Rangers, playing as a right-wing and central midfielder in his early teens.[2]
Chelsea
Gilchrist joined Chelsea at under-11 level in 2014 and was deployed as a centre-back.[3] He was compared to John Terry[4][5] and saw him as an idol due to his position and his status as an academy player of Chelsea.[2]
Gilchrist signed his first professional contract in November 2020.[6] He captained the academy team that reached the FA Youth Cupsemi-finals and also won the Under-18 Premier League Cup in 2021–22 season.[7] Gilchrist took over captain duties for the Under-23s in February 2023.[8] He was nominated for the PL2 Player of the Season award in the 2022–23 season.[9][10]
On 19 September 2023, he signed a new contract with the club until June 2025.[16] On 27 December, Gilchrist made his senior debut, subbed-on in stoppage time, in a 2–1 win against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.[17] Gilchrist's first start for the senior squad came on 6 January 2024, in Chelsea's 4–0 defeat of Preston North End in the FA Cup.[18]
On 2 April 2024, Gilchrist signed a new contract with Chelsea, keeping him at the club until 2026.[19]
On 15 April 2024, after coming on as an 88th minute substitute for Malo Gusto, Gilchrist scored his first goal for Chelsea in a 6–0 win over Everton.[20]
