With Chelsea’s bloated squad continuing to be a strong topic of discussion across the football world, and the transfer window closing in a matter of days, many are expecting the Blues to have a fire sale to help balance their books, and also trim down the number of players in the changing room. One player who’s looking likely to leave is Carney Chukwuemeka. Signed from Aston Villa in the summer of 2022, the attacking midfielder has never quite lived up to his ‘wonder kid’ status after a spluttering two years at Stamford Bridge.
A history of injuries
Unfortunately, Chukwuemeka’s time at Stamford Bridge has been plagued by several injuries which have severely harmed his progress. In the 2023-24 season, he seemed primed to be a key player under Mauricio Pochettino. He started the first few games of the season, even grabbing his first Chelsea goal with a very well taken finish against West Ham.
However, in that very same game, Chukwuemeka suffered a serious knee injury which would keep him out for the majority of the season. Even when he did return to action, his minutes were limited as he built himself back up to full fitness, suffering minor injury setbacks along the way.
Previously to this, he’d been kept out of large portions of the 2022-23 season with a recurring hamstring injury, restricting progress in his debut season. After a very frustrating two years, Chukwuemeka would have been looking to kick on after an injury free pre-season, however the influx of new Chelsea recruits coupled with high levels of competition may mean it’s best for both parties to find pastures new.
No lack of options
If Chelsea do decide to cash in, they won’t be short of potential suitors for the 20-year-old. A host of Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace, have been linked to the attacking midfielder. However, Chelsea are thought to be more open to selling abroad, with the likes of Barcelona and Napoli strongly linked.
However, as always, the stumbling block remains on price. Chelsea invested around £20m to sign Chukwuemeka back in 2022 and would be looking to make at least a profit on the Austrian. There are reports that Chelsea’s initial asking price was close to £40m, but the expectation is that they’ll consider a fee closer to £30m as the end of the window approaches. Should Barcelona, or other European heavyweights agree a fee with the Blues, Chukwuemeka will have a tough decision to make about his future.
A loan move is also not out of the question yet, but with Chelsea only having 3 more foreign loan spots available, and the likes of Kepa Arrizabalaga and Romelu Lukaku favourites for these so they can be shifted off the wage bill, Chukwuemeka will likely be loaned to a Premier League rival.
With the transfer window closing on August 31st, time is running out for Chelsea to agree a suitable next move for Chukwuemeka and if they can make a decent profit on their initial investment, it’ll be the best move for both parties.
