According to a live report from Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea is preparing to sell one of their star players in the upcoming January transfer window.
The club has already made the decision to let this player go, as they don’t see him as part of their long-term plans.
Chelsea is also looking to bring in a Premier League striker as a replacement.
This decision follows Chelsea’s efforts over the summer, where they sold several players, including Romelu Lukaku, to balance their spending.
Despite these efforts, the squad wasn’t fully cleared out, and a few players remain on the fringes.
Among those not fully integrated into the team are Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka.
While both players have been brought back into the first-team squad, they are still not considered part of manager Enzo Maresca’s core group.
Maresca has hinted that neither Chilwell nor Chukwuemeka will be regular starters going forward.
Chilwell and Chukwuemeka were initially placed in what was referred to as the “bomb squad” during preseason, a term used to describe players who are not in the manager’s future plans.
When discussing Chukwuemeka’s role in the team, Maresca was clear about his stance, stating, “Carney is a talented player, but considering the number of players we have, it would be better for him to go elsewhere where he can play 30 to 35 games and prove himself, rather than staying here with limited chances.”
Despite this, a move for Chukwuemeka didn’t materialize, leaving him at Stamford Bridge.
Although Maresca has given him some playing time, Chukwuemeka was absent from the most recent match, but the manager remains optimistic about him receiving more minutes in the future.
In light of these developments, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that Chelsea is actively planning to sell Chukwuemeka in the January transfer window.
Romano explained that the club is working on finding the young midfielder a new team.
Chukwuemeka, who was signed from Aston Villa in 2022 for £20 million, has struggled to secure a consistent place in Chelsea’s starting lineup.
Romano also revealed that Chelsea had been open to letting Chukwuemeka leave during the summer window, but only if a club could guarantee him significant playing time.
There was some interest from teams like AC Milan, but their offers were turned down as they couldn’t provide the assurance of regular starts.
Romano added, “Maresca has always been upfront with his players, and during the summer, Chelsea wanted Carney to join a club where he would be guaranteed at least 38 games, rather than being left on the bench.”
With Chukwuemeka still at Chelsea and not featuring regularly, the club is expected to intensify efforts to find him a new club in January.
Both Chelsea and Chukwuemeka agree that staying on the sidelines for too long is not ideal for the player’s development.
Discussions are already in progress to secure a move that will benefit all parties involved, with the player seeking more consistent opportunities to prove his talent on the field.