Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are keeping a close eye on Chelsea’s rising star Josh Acheampong as the London club face pressure to sell the talented right-back amid mounting financial and squad concerns.
The 18-year-old Acheampong, considered one of Chelsea’s most promising young talents, has caught the attention of European giants Real Madrid and PSG. As Chelsea grapple with the challenges of a bloated squad and strict Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR), the club may be forced to consider selling the young defender, with a possible fee of around 15 million euros ($16.4 million).
Acheampong’s versatility and ability to play both right-back and centre-back make him a very attractive prospect for Madrid and PSG.
Both clubs are looking for reliable replacements for their current star right-backs Dani Carvajal and Achraf Hakimi, and see Acheampong as a potential successor who could feature in the first team more regularly than he did at Chelsea.
Chelsea continue to sell like crazy
The current situation at the London club, with a squad full of 44 professional players, means additional pressure to offload players. Academy players such as Acheampong are particularly vulnerable, as their sales offer “pure profit” due to the lack of associated commissions.
The financial strategy has already seen Chelsea offload other academy talents such as Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount, sparking concerns among the club’s youth ranks.
As top clubs increasingly focus on signing young talent, Acheampong’s potential transfer could set a precedent, similar to Manchester United’s recent acquisition of 18-year-old Leny Yoro from Lille for 60 million euros ($65.5 million). While Acheampong has yet to play as many minutes on the bench as Yoro, his development within a top Premier League academy has positioned him as a highly sought-after player in the transfer market.
Chelsea’s financial constraints, combined with the need to trim their squad, may lead to Acheampong’s departure sooner rather than later. For Madrid and PSG, this represents an opportunity to land a promising defender who could play an important role in their future plans.
