Leyton Orient have added Alfie Gilchrist on a season-long loan, giving Richie Wellens another defensive option as the club continue to build for the 2025-26 campaign. The 22-year-old arrives with senior experience behind him and a clear chance to make an immediate impression in League One.
Gilchrist comes to Leyton Orient after a career that has already taken him from Chelsea's academy into senior football, with a Premier League Cup winner's medal from 2021 and a senior debut for Chelsea in December 2023. Last summer he joined West Bromwich Albion from Chelsea, then spent the next season on loan at Sheffield United before making 13 league appearances for West Bromwich Albion in the 2025-26 campaign.
Why Alfie Gilchrist fits Leyton Orient's plans
This is the sort of move that makes sense for all sides. Leyton Orient get a defender with experience in different environments, while Gilchrist gets the chance to play regularly and settle into a season-long role.
Gilchrist said he was really excited to get going and added that, when he was younger, he came to watch some matches here and knows it is going to be a good place for him. He also said the gaffer gave him a great first impression of the club, and after that he wanted to get everything done as quickly as possible.
What happens next?
There is a quick turnaround as well, with Gilchrist potentially in line to make his Leyton Orient debut on Saturday against Sheffield Wednesday. For Wellens, that means the signing could begin to affect the team straight away rather than being a longer-term addition.
For Gilchrist, it is a straightforward opportunity: settle quickly, adapt to League One and show that the move can help both his own development and Leyton Orient's season.
