Liverpool send enquiry for gifted Chelsea defender | OneFootball

Liverpool are eyeing up recruitment in the defensive department.

Ibrahima Konate has walked out the door for free - leaving Andoni Iraola and Richard Hughes a centre-back down. And with Conor Bradley expected to miss a large chunk of the 2026/27 season there is a shortage of quality at right-back too.

Ideally the outgoing Premier League champions would add an option in both positions. There also remains the possibility of adding cover with a player who can play both right-back and centre-back.

A report in TEAMtalk is now claiming that the Reds are among the teams to send an enquiry Chelsea’s way for emerging star Josh Acheampong.

Liverpool send enquiry for Josh Acheampong

The England underage international is tied to a long-term contract at Stamford Bridge - with club insiders believing he is set for a big future.

Despite a relative lack of action over the course of the 2025/26 season - only eight Premier League starts - Acheampong is now seen as an important part of the jigsaw under incoming head coach Xabi Alonso.

Therefore Liverpool - and other suitors for that matter - right now have to forget about his signing.

“Josh Acheampong’s future remains firmly at Chelsea,” the report reads.

“The Blues have rejected interest from a host of Europe’s biggest clubs over the past six months.

“Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Juventus are among the clubs to have made enquiries about the highly-rated 20-year-old.”

Josh Acheampong: Situation summary

Josh Acheampong is a versatile, right‑sided defender viewed internally as a long‑term cornerstone of Chelsea’s back line, but his medium‑term pathway hinges on securing consistent senior minutes amid heavy competition at Stamford Bridge.

A Cobham product since under‑8 level, Acheampong has climbed each age group to reach first‑team involvement, accumulating senior appearances under Enzo Maresca and breaking into England’s U21s.

Naturally a right‑footer, he has been used across the back line but profiles most cleanly as a right centre‑back who can also operate at right‑back in both back four and back three structures.

At 6’3”, he blends recovery pace and duel dominance with high technical security, comfortable stepping in as an inverted full‑back or even as a defensive midfielder in build‑up.

His standout traits are aggressive ball carries that break pressure and tidy short passing, though he can still default to safe circulation rather than consistently forcing line‑breaking actions.

Chelsea tied him to a long‑term deal to 2029 in December 2024 and internally class him as “untouchable”, grouping him with other core assets in their long‑range planning.

That security gives the club leverage, but it also underpins his camp’s expectation of a defined pathway, with limited Premier League starts to date leaving a decision looming over whether he settles as a squad option or pushes for guaranteed status.

Chelsea have rebuffed interest from multiple Premier League and European clubs, including Arsenal, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, while he has also been monitored by giants such as Bayern, Real Madrid and PSG.

In the short term, a domestic loan – particularly to a possession‑leaning side willing to use him as a hybrid right‑back/right centre‑back – feels the most logical next step, with a permanent move only likely if he remains blocked in the pecking order despite his “not for sale” label.