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Arsenal want 'fantastic' Chelsea star as Fabrizio Romano confirms stance

2 Jun 2026 14:53 BST | 3 min read

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal

Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

Arsenal are reportedly among the clubs who want to sign Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong this summer amid uncertainty surrounding his long-term future at Stamford Bridge.

The England U21 international is one of the most highly-rated defenders in European football and Chelsea are set to face a battle to retain his services when the summer transfer window opens in less than a month.

Acheampong, who was described as a "fantastic player" by ex-Blues boss Enzo Maresca, made 30 senior appearances for Chelsea during the 2025-26 campaign, however he was unable to nail down a consistent starting berth and several clubs in the Premier League are keeping a keen eye on his situation.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano" href="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2061520667489554611" target="_blank">Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Chelsea have rejected multiple approaches for the 20-year-old ahead of this summer, and this has been confirmed by BBC Sport reporter Nizaar Kinsella" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4g81m84m0ko" target="_blank">BBC Sport reporter Nizaar Kinsella.

It’s understood that Acheampong is regarded as an “untouchable” by the Blues hierarchy - alongside Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill - but interest in his signature is significant, with Arsenal, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United all tracking his progress. Manchester United have also been linked with a high-profile move too" href="https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/transfer-news/uk-premier-league/2026/06/chelsea-transfer-news-xabi-alonso-man-utd-josh-acheampong" target="_blank">Manchester United have also been linked with a high-profile move too.

Arsenal are known to be in the market for a new full-back as they look to offload Ben White and sign a replacement, and Acheampong is reportedly on their radar following their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.

BBC Sport" href="https://x.com/NizaarKinsella/status/2061772275343397169" target="_blank">BBC Sport also report that Acheampong will “seek assurances” ahead of next season, with the Englishman having grown frustrated by his lack of game time last term.

Josh Acheampong expected to remain at Chelsea

If reports are to be believed, Acheampong is set to remain at Chelsea this summer and he could play a key role under new boss Alonso next season.

However, we have been down this road before. In both 2024 and 2025, reports confirmed that Chelsea view Acheampong as a future star and intend to keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.

But, he has still only started 10 Premier League matches to date and given the plethora of defenders currently on Chelsea’s books, he would be forgiven for at least exploring his options if the opportunity presents itself.

However, Arsenal, and fellow suitors, are set to be left empty-handed as it’s clear that Chelsea have no intention of sanctioning a permanent sale during the 2026 summer transfer window.

Acheampong has made 44 first-team appearances for Chelsea since his debut under Mauricio Pochettino and his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) currently stands at a career high of €29.5 million, having increased gradually over the past year.