Josh Acheampong, an 18-year-old England youth international, who made his senior debut in February under former manager Mauricio Pochettino.
After being included in Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the U.S., Acheampong was expected to play a bigger role this season.
However, he has only made one appearance so far, coming off the bench for a 27-minute cameo in Chelsea’s 5-0 Carabao Cup win over Barrow.
Initially, Chelsea viewed Acheampong as the third-choice right-back, behind Reece James and Malo Gusto. However, he was left out of the squad entirely for recent games against Bournemouth and West Ham, even though James and Gusto were sidelined with injuries.
According to The Athletic, Acheampong has been told that he won’t play for Chelsea again unless he signs a new deal.
Although his current contract runs until 2026, negotiations over an extension are ongoing but remain unresolved, leading to uncertainty about his future.
While it’s not unexpected that Acheampong hasn’t played much for the first team, his limited involvement with the Under-21 squad is more surprising.
His last appearance for the youth team was on September 15, and he wasn’t included in the lineup for their Premier League Cup match against Bournemouth.
Sources familiar with the situation suggest that Acheampong’s lack of playing time is directly tied to the stalled contract negotiations, with the club making it clear that things won’t change unless he extends his contract.
Reports indicate that other top clubs are monitoring Acheampong’s situation ahead of the January transfer window. However, Chelsea are keen to keep him and hope the matter will be resolved soon.
In a recent interview, Acheampong expressed his connection to Chelsea and his desire for more first-team opportunities.
“My season has started off on a huge high,” he said. “Going away for pre-season with the men’s team, being involved in the Barrow fixture and putting in some solid performances with the Under-21s side.
“Overall, I’d say I’ve started well and already gained some extremely valuable experience. Being at Chelsea since the Under-8s, I feel really connected to the club, as anyone would.
“To say that I’ve worked my way up the age groups, I’ve loved every experience I’ve had here and to see that I’ve continued to grow and progress is a bonus. I plan to keep working hard to develop even further.”
