August 19th 2024.
Carney Chukwuemeka, a promising young midfielder, joined Chelsea last year for a hefty fee of £20 million. However, his time at the club may already be coming to an end, according to Enzo Maresca. The manager has suggested that Chukwuemeka's career with the Blues may be over, as he has only started two games for the team so far.
But before we jump to conclusions, there seems to be a roadblock in the way of Chukwuemeka's potential transfer. Reports say that there is a major issue preventing the highly-rated youngster from leaving Stamford Bridge. It seems that Mauricio Pochettino, who signed Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa, has faced some challenges with the player's fitness. Three separate injuries have limited his appearances to just 12 across all competitions, with only two of those being starts.
In fact, Chukwuemeka was left out of the Chelsea squad for their first game of the season against Manchester City. Just like Raheem Sterling, Maresca explained that the player's absence was not due to injury but rather a "technical decision." He went on to suggest that if Chukwuemeka wants to see more playing time, he may have to find another team.
In his post-match press conference, Maresca stated, "I think every case is different. Carney, I think he is a very good player. The problem is, because of some injuries in the past, I think the best for him is to play 30 or 35 games in a row, to show himself that he is fit and how good he is because he is very good." The manager then expressed his uncertainty about Chukwuemeka's chances of playing 35 games for Chelsea.
Despite his limited game time, Chukwuemeka has caught the eye of several clubs, including Crystal Palace, Barcelona, and Napoli. According to The Sun, Chelsea may be open to loaning or selling the Englishman for less than their initial valuation of £40 million. However, potential buyers may also be deterred by the player's hefty wages, reported to be £115,000-a-week.
With a bloated squad to deal with, Maresca has hinted that we may see more players leaving Chelsea before the transfer deadline in just over a week. Some of the names on the transfer list include Ben Chilwell, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Trevoh Chalobah, Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, and Conor Gallagher, who is still waiting for his move to Atletico Madrid to be finalized.
Overall, Chukwuemeka's future at Chelsea may be uncertain, but the club seems open to finding a solution that is beneficial for all parties involved. With more potential transfers on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how the Blues' squad evolves in the coming days.
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