'Untouchable' Chelsea wonderkid facing doubts over future as 'caution' emerges over new contract

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Suraj Radia | Editor

Chelsea could end up losing one of their brightest young talents, with Josh Acheampong reportedly having ‘caution’ over committing his future to the club amid interest from rival Premier League sides.

Acheampong came through Chelsea’s academy and has made more than 50 appearances for the club in all competitions since making his debut in 2024 but he made just eight Premier League starts last season.

The highly-rated defender was a target for numerous clubs in the summer transfer window, with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Crystal Palace looking to take advantage of Acheampong’s limited gametime.

However, the arrival of Xabi Alonso saw Chelsea reject all interest in Acheampong and declare him ‘untouchable’, with the idea that the 20-year-old would become a regular under the new Blues boss.

Acheampong has since started in six of the last nine matches across all competitions and only four players have featured in more minutes than him this season, with Alonso slowly developing a consistent team selection.

Although Acheampong’s progression in the first team has been notable, the BBC report that the player’s camp are still ‘cautious’ over rushing into negotiations over a new deal until there is ‘clearer evidence’ that he will become a regular starter for Chelsea.

Josh Acheampong: Chelsea star facing crossroads in future

Acheampong’s current contract expires in 2029, meaning Chelsea will likely make a pivotal decision over his future next summer when he has two years left on his deal, along with fellow centre-backs Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana.

Historically, Chelsea have looked to sell players in the last two years of their contracts in order to avoid losing them on a free transfer, with Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah leaving Stamford Bridge this summer after entering that stage.

With Acheampong and Colwill being important, academy-trained young defenders, Chelsea will certainly look to renew their contracts, while Fofana will likely be offered a new deal despite inconsistent displays, having been signed for €80m in 2024.

However, there are no active discussions over a renewal for Acheampong and the England youth international has previously shown he is not afraid to look at moves elsewhere, having almost left the club in 2024 before eventually signing his current contract.

During that period, Chelsea had withdrawn Acheampong for selection until his future was resolved and, while it is unlikely they would react in a similar way again, the situation does indicate that talks may not be straight forward.

However, the faith and trust shown by Alonso will certainly have worked in Chelsea’s favour and, should Acheampong’s gametime continue, the club has a strong chance of tying him down to a new deal when talks eventually open in the coming months.

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