Pochettino makes stance on Chelsea wonderkid CLEAR

Tom Weber

• Updated: 12 Jun 2023 10:46 BST
• 3 min read

Fabrizio Romano has revealed Chelsea's plans for talented youngster Carney Chukwuemeka.

The 19-year-old arrived from Aston Villa last August as part of the Blues' transfer extravaganza in a deal worth €18 million. Compared to other signings made under Todd Boehly, the Austria-born England youth international was a bargain - and he could go down as a tremendous signing further down the line - yet he too, like so many of his new teammates, came to typify the uncoordinated recruitment at Stamford Bridge.

Chukwuemeka struggled to break into the team, making just 14 Premier League appearances last season, almost all of them as a substitute. He also featured in Chelsea's FA Cup demolition at the hands of Manchester City, meaning that he played a grand total of 362 minutes of first-team football in the campaign just gone.

READ: Barcelona beat Chelsea to seal first transfer of the summer – Fabrizio Romano

Unsurprisingly, then, he has been tipped to be a prime candidate to get sent out on loan - or perhaps even sold - this summer in order to earn regular game time and experience. This, however, may not come to pass after all.

Chelsea's stance

According to Fabrizio Romano, selling Chukwuemeka is entirely out of the question. The Blues have no intention of getting rid of a player who is "considered [a] part of the future project."

There will not be an option to buy for the club borrowing the player should a loan deal materialise, but even whether or not the 19-year-old will actually be loaned out is still up in the air, claims the transfer expert.

New head coach Mauricio Pochettino has apparently not yet made a decision on Chukwuemeka and how - or if - he fits into his plans.

READ: The player Chelsea MUST sign after Champions League final

Chelsea are set for a midfield clearout with the departures of N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount all possible, so Chukwuemeka could find himself getting regular first-team minutes next season.