Chelsea teen star Josh Acheampong banished by the club due to contract talks

Josh Acheampong, the highly-rated teenage defender with Ghanaian roots, has been informed by Chelsea that he will not feature for the first team or development squad until he signs a new contract.

Currently under a deal that expires in 2026, Acheampong is in discussions with the club for an extension to secure his long-term future, but no agreement has been reached.

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

This contributed to their lack of disappointment over losing Pedro Lima to Wolves, as they were not keen on adding to their right-back options at that time.

Despite James and Gusto being unavailable due to injuries, Acheampong was notably absent from the bench for matches against Bournemouth and West Ham, with head coach Enzo Maresca opting for Axel Disasi and Wesley Fofana—players more accustomed to center-back positions—at right back.

Acheampong made his professional debut under former manager Mauricio Pochettino against Tottenham in February and was included in the club’s pre-season tour of the USA, where he was preferred over the more experienced Trevoh Chalobah.

However, he has only made one appearance under Maresca, coming on as a substitute for 27 minutes in a Carabao Cup match against Barrow on September 24.

Notably, Acheampong has not played for the Under-21s either, despite starting four of their first five games this season.

His last appearance for them was on September 15, and he was absent from the team sheet in their recent Premier League Cup match against Bournemouth, leaving him nearly a month without representing Chelsea at any level.

The 18-year-old is not injured and has made two appearances for England’s Under-20s during the recent international break.

Multiple sources have indicated that Acheampong's lack of involvement is tied to the stalled contract negotiations, with the club stating that his situation will not change unless he agrees to extend his deal.

Reports suggest that other high-profile clubs are already targeting Acheampong for a potential January transfer, but Chelsea is determined not to sell.

They remain hopeful that negotiations will resume and that a resolution can be achieved soon.