After just one season: This BVB star is raising serious doubts | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund signed Carney Chukwuemeka from FC Chelsea with high expectations. BVB paid around 20 million euros for the services of the English midfielder—a significant investment that has yet to pay off. Almost a year after his arrival at Strobelallee, doubts are growing both internally and externally as to whether the 22-year-old can consistently meet the sporting demands.

Already in the previous season, Dortmund had initially brought Chukwuemeka on loan. Last summer, the permanent signing followed, albeit with some delay. However, the anticipated leap in performance has yet to materialize. While the central midfielder has made 26 competitive appearances this season, he has only started eight times. Particularly striking: in the calendar year 2026, head coach Niko Kovac has not trusted him to start a single match so far.

How fit is Chukwuemeka?

Photo: IMAGO

According to information from Ruhr Nachrichten, the growing doubts are less about Chukwuemeka’s basic footballing abilities and more about his physical condition. Internally, there is critical questioning as to why it has not been possible to make up for existing fitness deficits within a year—despite modern training methods and optimal medical care at the professional level.

The numbers support this impression. Chukwuemeka often does not appear consistently resilient, frequently only making brief appearances and struggling to find a rhythm in his play. For a player who was planned as a dynamic number eight with physicality and impact, this is an alarming signal.

The potential is there—but time is running out

It remains undisputed that the 1.88-meter right-footer repeatedly shows flashes of his potential when he is on the pitch. Technical quality, dynamism, and football intelligence are present. For this reason, BVB is fundamentally sticking with him. His contract runs until 2030, which at least formally provides the club with planning security.

But this long contract duration also increases the pressure. If Chukwuemeka fails to get his conditioning and muscular deficits under control in the long term, the narrative could quickly shift. A promising prospect could rapidly become an expensive misstep.

It hasn’t come to that yet. But at BVB, there is a growing awareness that patience alone is not enough. The coming months will be decisive for Chukwuemeka—both athletically and physically.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.