Josh Achiampong has fallen down the Chelsea pecking order. (Image: Getty Images)
“The person I fell in love with tonight was Josh Acheampong,” Enzo Maresca beamed after Chelsea’s away win against Legia Warsaw in April 2025. “Because for me he is potentially a great player, a top player for this club and for football in general.
“A good player shows that he can play in different positions and do well. He was a good full-back, a good midfielder, a good central defender. So it’s not like, ‘Oh, I’ll play in that position and only in that position.’ A good player can play in different positions.”
“I fell in love with Josh tonight because, to be honest, I’ve been in love with Josh since we started. But tonight he showed that he can be a very good player for this club.”
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As endorsements go, it will be hard to top Maresca’s glowing reviews published almost exactly a year ago to this day. But since that unforgettable night in Poland, Achiampong has made just 28 appearances for Chelsea, well under half of the Blues’ 67 competitive appearances.
Bayern Munich put his skills to the test last summer when the German giants made public their interest in the 19-year-old defender, but he was firmly rebuffed by Chelsea.
Crystal Palace are in trouble with the departure of Marc Guehy and took a similar approach during the January transfer window, but the Blues have once again made it clear to the Londoners that he is not for sale.
However, since the January transfer window closed, Achiampong has appeared in just eight games, with just two of those starts. From an outsider’s perspective, Achiampong looks like the ideal Liam Rosenior player, but 10 of the defender’s 13 starts this season have come under Maresca.
Simply put, Acheampong is not getting the playing time he needs to develop. Achiampong also came on as a substitute in Saturday’s game against League One bottom club Port Vale. The England Under-21 international made a brief cameo, but many supporters were disappointed that he was not included in the starting XI.
Former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca was a big fan of Josh Achiampong. (Image: Getty)
Although his opportunities to play are limited, Acheampong has no intention of being released in the summer transfer window.
Acheampong’s lack of appearances means multiple clubs are on the list, but the Blues are adamant he is not for sale and remains a key part of their long-term strategy.
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It feels like forever since Achiampong neutralized Alexander Isak in Chelsea’s win over Liverpool in October, or scored his first goal for his boyhood club in the win over Nottingham Forest two weeks later. Next season will be a crucial one for Acheampong.
Chelsea have made a centre-back their top transfer priority in the next window, with the west Londoners hoping to sign an established centre-back. The Blues made a move for Jeremy Jaquet in January, but he ultimately opted for the Liverpool job.
The centre-back is widely expected to join Stamford Bridge, but serious questions remain as to what this will mean for Achiampong’s prospects of becoming a first-team regular.
During his time with the first team, he was a substitute at right-back, but faces stiff competition from Maro Gusto and Reece James.
A temporary loan move could well prove to be the wisest path forward for the teenage defender to get his development back on track.
