Chelsea’s Josh Acheampong frozen out amid contract talks

Chelsea's teenage defender, Josh Acheampong, has been informed that he will not feature for either the first team or the development squad until he signs a new contract.

Currently, under a deal that runs until 2026, negotiations for an extension have begun, but no agreement has been reached yet.

In the summer, Chelsea viewed Acheampong as the third-choice right back, behind captain Reece James and Malo Gusto.

This contributed to their lack of concern over missing out on Pedro Lima from Sport Recife, as they believed Acheampong could step up.

However, he was left out of the squad entirely during matches against Bournemouth and West Ham last month, even with both James and Gusto sidelined due to injury. Instead, head coach Enzo Maresca opted for Axel Disasi and Wesley Fofana who are more accustomed to playing centre-back.

Despite making his professional debut under Mauricio Pochettino against Tottenham in February and being included in the pre-season tour of the USA, Acheampong has had limited playing time this season, featuring only once under Maresca for 27 minutes in the Carabao Cup against Barrow.

Remarkably, he hasn't played for the Under-21s since September 15, despite starting four of their first five games. His absence from the squad is attributed to stalled contract talks; the club have made it clear that his situation won't change until he commits to a new deal.

With other clubs reportedly interested in a January transfer, Chelsea remain hopeful of resolving the situation soon. Born in London, Acheampong is of Ghanaian descent and has already represented England at the Under-20 level during the recent international break.