Chelsea have reportedly made significant progress in their efforts to retain their young talent, Josh Acheampong, at the club.
Under the current ownership, Chelsea has focused on securing long-term contracts for key players. For instance, players like Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson have deals that extend beyond 2030.
Moreover, the Chelsea academy continues to produce promising talent, with Todd Boehly, the club’s owner, being a strong advocate for its importance.
Josh Acheampong, an 18-year-old defender who is a product of Chelsea’s academy, had been sidelined recently due to a contract dispute. However, journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that the young player is now set to sign a contract extension.
Romano shared this update on his YouTube channel, explaining that Chelsea had managed to change Acheampong’s mind. Initially, the player was unwilling to sign a new deal due to concerns about his career pathway and offers from other clubs, both in England and abroad.
Romano explained: “One of the players they want to keep for the future project is for sure the full-back Josh Acheampong. In a very particular and strange situation, Chelsea wants the player to commit to signing a new deal and stay at the club to be part of the long-term project. So far, Acheampong has had some changes around him in terms of camp in the recent months, he never wanted to sign a new deal at Chelsea because of the pathway, because he had several other possibilities around the world in terms of projects and proposals, not only in England but in other countries. But now the breakthrough between Chelsea and Josh Acheampong, his family, and his camp is imminent. The agreement between Acheampong and Chelsea over a new deal is almost there. It’s just about some final details to sort, then everything will be done.”
This is great news for Chelsea, as it appears the club is about to secure the long-term commitment of one of its standout academy talents.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s first-team boss, previously described Acheampong as “fantastic” and even gave him playing time in a Carabao Cup match in September before the contract issue arose.
Acheampong is now back in contention for selection. Chelsea’s squad for the upcoming Conference League match against Astana in Kazakhstan includes a number of young players, including Acheampong.
Maresca confirmed that Acheampong will start in Thursday’s match, signaling his full reintegration into the team. He also mentioned that the right-back is close to finalizing a new contract.
