Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has delivered glowing praise for teenage defender Josh Acheampong, backing him to become an elite centre-back in the years ahead.
“Firstly, Josh is an amazing talent,” Rosenior said, explaining that in just a month at the club he has met the youngster and his parents and understands why he is so grounded and professional. He believes Acheampong has “immense potential” and the right upbringing to handle the demands of top-level football.
Rosenior outlined his development plan for Chelsea’s young defenders, stressing the importance of exposing them to different roles across the backline to sharpen their reading of the game and positional sense.
“What I like to do with all of my defenders, especially at the age they are, is put them in different positions because it improves their understanding of the game,” he explained.
Even so, he is clear about Acheampong’s long-term future, insisting the youngster is fundamentally a centre-back with all the attributes to shine “at a really, really high level.”
The Chelsea boss added that his job is to guide and develop Acheampong and that he is genuinely excited about working with him over the long term.
