Chelsea academy star signs new contract until 2029

Chelsea academy defender Josh Acheampong has put pen to paper on a new and improved deal that will keep him at the club until 2029, according to The Athletic.

The 18-year-old, who made his Chelsea debut under Mauricio Pochettino in a 2-0 win over Tottenham last season, was due to be out of contract in 2026.

He has now extended his Chelsea stay by a further three years, putting an end to a contractual debacle that saw him frozen out of contention for a while.

A number of Premier League sides and teams around Europe were believed to be waiting to pounce on Acheampong’s uncertain future in West London, and unsurprisingly so, given his performances in the youth setup, which saw him included in Chelsea’s pre-season tour to the United States last summer.

However, the Englishman has struggled for first-team minutes this term, making just two senior appearances to date—the most recent being his full debut in Chelsea’s Conference League triumph over Astana last Thursday.

Nonetheless, the right-back remains a highly rated product of Chelsea’s renowned Cobham Academy, largely due to his versatility and composure on the ball at such a young age.

While Acheampong is expected to continue featuring heavily with the Chelsea Under-21s, the new deal signifies the club’s belief in his potential to become a first-team regular in the long run, especially given Reece James’ persistent injury struggles.

A chance to make a second straight European start is on the cards for Acheampong on Thursday when Chelsea welcome Shamrock Rovers to Stamford Bridge, aiming to preserve their perfect record on the continental scene and secure an eighth straight win across all competitions.

Having joined Chelsea at Under-8 level, Acheampong will have his sights set on becoming a club legend and following in the footsteps of the likes of former skipper John Terry.