Chelsea stance on Josh Acheampong transfer clear as interest remains before summer

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Evening Standard

·26. März 2026

Chelsea stance on Josh Acheampong transfer clear as interest remains before summer

Crystal Palace remain interested in Blues academy graduate, who has also been linked with Liverpool and Newcastle

Celebration: Josh Acheampong scored his first senior goal for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest in October

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Chelsea are not considering selling teenage defender Josh Acheampong this summer.

A shortage of game time for the Cobham academy graduate this season has made other clubs take note of his potential availability, but Standard Sport understands that internally there is no interest at Stamford Bridge in a sale.

Crystal Palace tried to sign the 19-year-old in January, when they approached multiple centre-backs targets in search of a replacement for the Manchester City-bound Marc Guehi. Their interest in Acheampong remains ahead of the summer transfer window.

He has also been linked with Liverpool and Newcastle and is seen as a versatile ball-playing defender, able to play at right-back as well as in his natural position of centre-back.

Acheampong signed a new long-term contract at Chelsea in December 2024, committing his future to the club until 2029.

Chelsea have come in for criticism for their poor defending and individual errors in recent weeks but Acheampong has not played much of a role in that.

His 28 appearances for the Blues this season have included just one Champions League start and only seven starts in the Premier League.

He has played in all three of Chelsea’s matches en route to the FA Cup quarter-finals and will expect to feature in their last-eight tie against League One strugglers Port Vale at Stamford Bridge on April 4.