Despite Chelsea’s excessive spending over the last few years, bringing in players from all over the globe, they have continued to sell academy graduates for lucrative fees. Since the 2014/15 season, they have received €479m (£399.31m) from selling homegrown players. In the summer, this included the likes of Conor Gallagher, Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson, and Lewis Hall.
One of the most exciting young players currently at Chelsea is defender Josh Acheampong. He made his debut for the first team last season and featured in the Blues’ League Cup victory against Barrow at the age of 18. With his contract expiring in the summer of 2026, though, it is expected that interest will ramp up for the English right-back in the January transfer window. Real Madrid and Liverpool are two of the clubs linked with the Cobham academy graduate, with Chelsea keen to hang on to one of their bright prospects. Here is everything you need to know about Acheampong’s career so far, playing style, and much more.
Career
Two first-team appearances so far
Acheampong joined the Blues at the Under-8s and has continued to develop through the age groups at Cobham – signing his first professional contract with the club in 2024. After establishing himself as a regular for the Under-18s and featuring in Premier League 2 matches for the Under-21s, the 18-year-old defender made his debut for the first team against Tottenham Hotspur last season. He came on with five minutes to go against their London rivals in a 2-0 win. Acheampong was on the bench for Mauricio Pochettino’s side in games against Newcastle, Burnley and Aston Villa.
In the 2024/25 campaign, he has not been in the squad for any Premier League matches. He did play 27 minutes against Barrow in the League Cup – his only first-team appearance so far. With the Blues likely to breeze through the ‘League Phase’ UEFA Europa Conference League, he will be hopeful of making further cameos in this competition. Acheampong has played more regularly in Premier League 2, registering an assist in their home draw against Everton and playing 90 minutes consecutively at the end of August and the start of September. Speaking to Chelsea’s club website, he said:
“My season has started off on a huge high,’ the 18-year-old 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.”
Josh Acheampong Career Statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Chelsea U18 | 27 | 5 | 3 |
Chelsea U21 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
Chelsea Youth League | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Chelsea | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Position and Style of Play
Can play on the right or as a central defender
Acheampong is predominantly a right-back, but he can also play as a central defender. So far this season, he has played on the right side of Chelsea’s defence for all three appearances in the Premier League 2 but was deployed as a centre-back for England’s Under-19s in the October international break in friendlies against Croatia and Germany.
The 18-year-old’s best position is as a wide defender due to his willingness to get forward and join attacks. He is renowned for his high-energy style with an impressive first touch, allowing him to carry the ball up the pitch effortlessly. Acheampong is also particularly dangerous from cut-backs, as he often beats his man on the outside before firing the ball into the box to central players. Defensively, the academy graduate is adept at reading the game and regularly uses his impressive upper-body strength to get the better of opponents and divert the danger. Overall, his physical traits coupled with his tactical intelligence and versatility across the backline mean Acheampong is a valuable asset for Chelsea.
Acheampong Stats Via Position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Position | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Right-Back | 25 | 5 | 4 |
Centre-Back | 4 | 0 | 1 |
Right Midfield | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Enzo Maresca’s Opinion
The Italian is cautiously optimistic
Acheampong travelled to the USA for Chelsea’s pre-season tour, training with the first-team squad under new head coach, Enzo Maresca. Ahead of the Blues’ away trip to West Ham United in September, the Italian coach was asked about the 18-year-old’s potential and future at the club. He said:
“I really like Josh. For me, potentially, he can be a top player, a top defender in the future.
“With young players, I have a lot of experience and I like to moderate them a little bit because today young players can change very quickly.
“They can quickly think they are so good or so bad, so you need to moderate a little bit the way that they join us [in the first team].”
A few days later, Acheampong was given his first appearance of the season under Maresca. He came on for Axel Disasi in the 63rd minute as Chelsea went on to ease past League Two Barrow. He was introduced at the same time as academy graduate Tyrique George, who replaced former Wolves winger Pedro Neto. Maresca was asked about the impact of the 18-year-old duo after the match. He said:
“I was happy with Tyrique [George] and with Josh [Acheampong], I thought they both did very well.
“In these types of games, for them it was important to be brave, don’t be shy. It doesn’t matter if you make a mistake, that’s football. They both did very good. Tyrique missed a chance but then he created another one for himself.
“I really liked the way Josh showed himself with the ball, stepped in, was brave and showed personality. I am happy for both of them.”
Josh Acheampong Transfer News
Real Madrid, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur interested
Acheampong’s current deal at Chelsea expires in June 2026, meaning clubs across Europe will likely pursue a move for the young defender in January. One of the teams interested in signing the 18-year-old is 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid. According to the Independent, Carlo Ancelotti’s side are admirers of the Chelsea starlet and have identified him as a right-back for them in the short and long-term, especially with the recent ACL injury to Dani Carvajal. Miguel Delany provided the following update on 16th October:
“Acheampong may offer an elegant solution to a few issues. While he would represent a stand-in for Carvajal both when the Spanish international is injured and when he needs rest on returning to fitness, the England youth international also represents exactly the type of young profile that Madrid have been seeking to build their squad around.
“Chelsea’s stance is that he is a player crucial to their own future, but Madrid are weighing up whether to test that in January.”
Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle are also closely monitoring the young defender, but the Chelsea hierarchy are reportedly unwilling to sell one of their most-prized assets. Two academy graduates from Cobham have moved to Spurs in the last few years, including Marcel Lavinier and Jude Soonsup-Bell. Liverpool have also previously been in the market for Chelsea youngsters recently, with the Reds signing 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha in the summer transfer window. This has led to tensions between the clubs, with the Blues denying access to Liverpool scouts at their youth games.
In an exclusive interview with Chelsea, Acheampong was asked about his ambitions for the remainder of the campaign. He said:
“As I’ve said, I want to keep working hard and progressing on and off the pitch. My main goal this season is to stay fit and, fingers crossed, have an injury-free season so I can keep pushing to be the best I can be.
“It’s important to take care of your body throughout the season, as it’s an intense period that can be demanding. By being sensible and focusing on recovery, I should stay in top physical condition, which will give me the chance to grow my skills even more.”
Information gathered from Transfermarkt, The Independent, The Athletic and Chelsea FC – Correct as of 22/10/24.