Enzo Maresca has revealed his disappointment at Chelsea’s decision to prevent young defender Josh Acheampong from playing at any level while negotiations over a new contract continue.
It was recently revealed that Acheampong, who is wanted by Real Madridhas been warned he will not play for Chelsea either at senior or academic level until he signs an extension to his current contract, which he signed this summer and expires in 2026.
It means the talented 18-year-old, who has not played since last month’s emphatic Carabao Cup win over Barrow, was left out of the League Conference squad. traveled to Greece to face Panathinaikos on Thursday.
“To be honest, I feel a little embarrassed for Josh because I think these kinds of matches can be an opportunity for him,” Maresca confessed. “I had a chat with him, personally, about three weeks ago – about his situation and the chat we had was a very good chat, a positive chat but I haven’t spoken to him since.
“Like I said, it’s a shame. I think Josh can become a top player. He’s still 18, so he’s still very young, a lot of things can change for him, but potentially it can be a very important for Chelsea.
“He is so important to the club that our intention is not to lose him. The first thing we have to do is find a solution for his future.
“The most important thing at this stage is to have minutes, enjoy and play football. For him, I don’t know the people who are trying to solve the problem, whether they are helping him or not. I like Josh very much and I would like to to have him here with us, but it is not possible.”
At the site of Acheampong, Chelsea they have handed out call-ups to winger Tyrique George, midfielder Sam Rak-Sakyi and striker Shumaira Mheuka, known as Shim.
“They have already been with us in different sessions”, explained Maresca. “Sam is a good profile, a midfielder, he can play all the roles in midfield, between the lines. And Shim, we use him as a striker and as a full-back. They are good profiles, young guys, and it will be a good experience for them to stay with us
“We also have Tyrique that’s with us. Kind of like Josh, it’s good to have him with us. Hopefully we can give him some minutes, some opportunities, they can grow and we can give them a different experience.”
