The versatile defender could be the next jewel of the club's esteemed Cobham academy, but they have a fight on their hands to keep him
Seven months ago, Josh Acheampong seemed primed to become the next Chelsea talent to step off the production line at Cobham as he made his senior debut for the club three days shy of his 18th birthday. Now, his future with his boyhood club seems far less certain.
The versatile defender is the latest prodigious right-back that the Blues' famed academy has produced in recent years, following in the footsteps of Reece James, Tino Livramento and Tariq Lamptey.
But while the club will hope he follows the same trajectory as club captain James, uncertainty around his future means he could end up following the latter two through the Stamford Bridge exit after just three senior appearances as Chelsea's European rivals circle.
GettyWhere it all began
Born in London in May 2006 to Ghanaian parents, Acheampong has always been Chelsea. He joined the Blues' development centre programme at Cobham at Under-8 level and has been with the club ever since.
Emerging as a versatile defender capable of operating at centre-back, right-back and wing-back, Acheampong impressed throughout the age grades at Chelsea and his England youth career has followed a similar trajectory.
By the age of 16 the youngster was already a regular in the U18s, catching the eye with a stunning left-footed strike into the top corner against Tottenham in the U18 Premier League in the 2022-23 season. It seemed like just a matter of time before he would make his breakthrough.
AdvertisementThe big break
In 2023-24 – still just 17 – Acheampong became part of Chelsea's U21 set-up as he continued to star for the U18s, who would go on to win the southern Premier League title for their age group.
At the beginning of 2024 he was rewarded with his first professional contract – a two-year deal tying him to the club until 2026 – and in March he was included in the first-team squad against Newcastle, although he was left on the bench.
Acheampong's senior and Premier League debut soon followed, though; three days shy of his 18th birthday, the teen was introduced as a late substitute by former head coach Mauricio Pochettino in the 2-0 victory over Tottenham, coming on to a standing ovation at Stamford Bridge.
Even in just 12 minutes on the pitch he demonstrated his defensive prowess, cutting out a dangerous cross, blocking two powerful shots and winning a crucial ground duel as the Blues saw out the victory.
GettyHow it's going
While Acheampong went on the pre-season tour to the USA and had been considered third in Chelsea's right-back pecking order behind Malo Gusto and injury-plagued captain James, he hasn't kicked on under Enzo Maresca in 2024-25, making just one first-team appearance before December.
That is a result of a contract standoff; despite Acheampong only signing that first senior deal in January, the Blues had opened talks to secure his long-term future and avoid losing one of their next generation of academy stars for nothing, amid reported summer transfer interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain
However, those talks reached an impasse, prompting the club to take action to force the player to put pen to paper. Acheampong was frozen out not only at senior level, but also in the U21s, where he would have expected to be a guaranteed starter.
Speaking in October, Maresca said: "It’s a shame. It’s so important for the club that our intention is not to lose him. The first thing we need to do is to find a solution for his future. The most important thing at this stage is to get minutes, enjoy and to play football. I really like Josh and I would really like to have him here with us but it is not possible.”
Six weeks on, there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel; Acheampong was pictured in first-team training in November and he finally returned to the fold for the U21s at the end of the month. Then, in mid-December he started and impressed alongside of a number of other academy players included in a heavily-rotated side that beat Astana in the Conference League after a 3,500-mile trip to Kazakhstan.
GettyBiggest strengths
"Josh has a fantastic attitude towards developing further and is strong mentally," Chelsea's official profile of Acheampong reads. That is certainly reflected in his progress through the age grades for both club and country.
Predominantly a right-back, the youngster's versatility is also a great strength as he is capable of covering at centre-back or pushing up the pitch into a wing-back role. Once his contract standoff comes to an end, he could actually become a very useful asset for the Blues amid James and Wesley Fofana's injury troubles.
His debut cameo against Spurs demonstrated what Chelsea describe as "his comfort in possession of the ball and his ability in one-v-one defensive situations, stepping in to create overloads and initiate attacks", while his rangy 6'1 frame means he covers ground quickly and is physically imposing.
Maresca believes he has what it takes to make the cut: "I think Josh potentially can become a top player," the Italian said recently. "He is still 18, so still very young, so many things can change for him, but he can potentially be (a) very important thing for Chelsea."