Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is a "big" fan of a £40 million ace in his squad, but Stamford Bridge officials could still opt to sell him in January.
Chelsea face Shamrock Rovers amid major Mudryk and Acheampong developments
The Blues face Shamrock Rovers in their final Europa Conference League game of the year tonight, but their face-off against the Irish minnows has been pushed into the background after major developments regarding Mykhailo Mudryk and Josh Acheampong.
Chelsea-Maresca-Dewsbury-Hall-Felix-Pedro-Neto-Sancho Related
[Chelsea planning January exit for "quality" player with 10 clubs queuing up](https://www.footballfancast.com/chelsea-planning-january-exit-for-dewsbury-hall-with-10-clubs-queuing-up/ "Chelsea planning January exit for "quality" player with 10 clubs queuing up")
He's a real man in demand heading into the winter.
Mudryk has officially failed a drugs test, with the Ukraine international now handed a provisional ban from football after allegedly testing positive for meldonium through a urine sample (The Times).
Chelsea's next Premier League fixtures Date
Everton (away) December 22
Fulham (home) December 26
Ipswich Town (away) December 30
Crystal Palace (away) January 4
Bournemouth (home) January 14
The heart drug, which tennis superstar Maria Sharapova received a 15-month ban for ingesting in 2016, was apparently found in his system - with the FA subsequently suspending Mudryk from all footballing activity on the field.
The £100,000-per-week winger protests his innocence and said he would never "knowingly" take the substance, with Mudryk's team now set to investigate how the alleged meldonium could've got into his system.
Meanwhile, other big news out of Chelsea is that BlueCo have finally tied down highly-rated young right-back Josh Acheampong with a new contract. Acheampong was frozen out of the Chelsea squad for a time due to his contractual stand-off, but talks then took a promising turn, with the 18-year-old sensation now putting pen to paper on a new deal which will keep him at the club until 2029.
Real Madrid were previously registering an interest in Acheampong when his future wasn't no certain, but worries of the La Liga giants poaching Chelsea's rising star have now been put to bed. While the defender's future is secure, the same cannot be said of midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, who has been heavily linked with the Stamford Bridge exit door next month.
Enzo Maresca is a "big admirer" of Carney Chukwuemeka at Chelsea
Funnily enough, according to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs of TEAMtalk, Maresca is actually a "big admirer" of Chukwuemeka at Chelsea - but Todd Boehly and co are still open to any offers for the former Aston Villa gem who has failed to battle his way into the first-team regularly.
Dewsbury-Hall-Neto-Chukwuemeka-Guiu-Veiga
The 21-year-old hasn't been included in a single Premier League matchday squad this season, with all of his total 130 minutes of playing time coming in the Carabao Cup and Conference League.
However, despite his lack of match action, it is believed that Chelsea will demand suitors pay around £40 million for his services - either in January or next summer.
“I like Carney Chukwuemeka because he is like an artist who comes onto the stage," said Marcel Desailly on Chukwuemeka in 2023.
"He has got the ball. Now is my moment. Shine. You see the dribbling. He is sure about what he is going to do and he is clinical. I love it.”