I’ve seen enough Chelsea academy defenders graduate from Stamford Bridge to know what happens when a player like Josh Acheampong enjoys a remarkable rise without any new contract discussions on the horizon. Acheampong has started six of Chelsea’s previous nine games across all competitions. Only Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Levi Colwill and Maxence Lacroix have logged more than his 581 minutes under Alonso.
Watching him drift out of the right side of the back three has been thrilling. He rolls into midfield, covers at full-back and has kept £75m signing Wesley Fofana out of the team on merit. And yet, somehow, Acheampong hasn’t entered new contract negotiations. His current deal, signed in December 2024, runs until June 2029. Next summer, he enters the final two years of his contract, the same point at which Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo were sold this summer.
Of the pair, Chalobah’s exit to Como left the biggest hole, if you ask me. He spent almost two decades at the club and made 151 appearances for the Blues, yet he was sold for a €30m fixed fee plus add-ons. Adarabioyo followed suit, joining Tottenham on deadline day after making 70 appearances.
I can’t fault the board’s policy, made in the wake of losing Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen for nothing in 2022. But it should be reserved as a safeguard for fringe players, not a trapdoor for a homegrown defender entering his prime. Acheampong’s camp wants proof that he can be a regular starter before talks begin, and he is providing that under Xabi Alonso.
The England talk will only increase the cost of any further hesitation. Acheampong has started eight of England U21’s last 10 games and is knocking on Thomas Tuchel’s door as a versatile right-sided option. Chelsea spurned a Manchester United approach this summer, but the suitors will not stay away forever, especially if Tuchel does bring him into the fold at St. George’s Park. Chelsea must put a long-term offer on the table before his value outgrows their patience.
Xabi Alonso on Josh Acheampong
Xabi Alonso has had no qualms about showing the high regard in which he holds Acheampong since the Spaniard’s arrival at Stamford Bridge this summer. Speaking in August, Alonso revealed the defender had been improving steadily throughout pre-season.
Alonso praised his versatility, his comfort in possession, and his understanding of his role as the traits of a modern defender. He also said the youngster is at his best when he plays with conviction and an aggressive edge, which we saw in full against Everton.
The Chelsea boss has warned that healthy competition would be present in every position as the campaign continues. To date, Acheampong has emerged victorious from those battles, and his manager’s faith now needs to be mirrored in the boardroom.