Chelsea stand firm on Josh Acheampong future

Chelsea kept 19-year-old defender Josh Acheampong firmly in their first-team plans, even though his minutes on the pitch had been limited.

By early December, he had featured in just nine matches across all competitions, totalling 499 minutes, with his only outing since late October coming as a late substitute in a 3-0 win over Barcelona at Stamford Bridge.

Several Premier League and overseas clubs had monitored Acheampong’s situation since the summer, hoping his lack of game time might open the door for a move. However, Chelsea’s stance reportedly remained clear: the young centre-back was considered an important part of the club’s long-term project and was not for sale, according to the BBC.

Earlier in the season, Enzo Maresca had been linked with signing another centre-back after Levi Colwill suffered a serious pre-season injury.

In the end, Chelsea chose not to make an addition in that position, a decision influenced heavily by their confidence in Acheampong’s potential to contribute at a high level and grow into a bigger role in the coming years.