Enzo Maresca intent on resisting interest in Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong
Enzo Maresca has said that Chelsea have no intention of selling Josh Acheampong this summer. Several clubs in England and Europe are tracking the 19-year-old defender but it is understood that there is no plan for him to leave Stamford Bridge at the moment.
Sources close to Acheampong have privately said that suggestions that the youngster is frustrated at Chelsea are incorrect. Acheampong, who started at right-back in Chelsea's win over Esperance in the Club World Cup last Tuesday, signed a new five-year contract last year and enjoyed a breakthrough campaign under Maresca last season.
The academy product will only go on loan if he agrees with the club that it is best for his development but the long-term plan remains for him to thrive at Chelsea.
'The clubs that you mentioned, they like Josh, but we also like Josh,' Maresca said. 'Any club likes good players. My plan with Josh is quite clear. I said many times that I really like Josh.
'I think he potentially can be a top defender for this club. It's on him to have the right timing to do the things. We are full of young players here, full of talented players, even defenders. So I think the best plan for Josh is to be with us and I'm very happy if he's going to be with us.'
Chelsea face Benfica in the last 16 in Charlotte on Saturday afternoon. It will be the first time that Enzo Fernandez faces Benfica since leaving them for £106.7m two years ago. Fernandez has the most goal involvements (14) of any Chelsea player in 2025.
'I am very pleased with Enzo,' Maresca said. 'Firstly because he's a nice boy, he's polite. And then because with us, since we started, he's working very well in all the aspects, inside the pitch, outside the pitch.
'We said already many times that with us this season's struggle will be at the beginning to understand the way we want to play. But then he's doing fantastic in terms of numbers, goals, assist.
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'This is what we want from our attacking players. I said many times that I prefer to have the attacking players score 10 to 12 goals each than just a striker with 40 goals. His contribution this season has been top, and for sure next season will be even better.'
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The Argentina midfielder, signed from the Portuguese giants for a then British record £106.8million two years ago, took time to find his feet at Stamford Bridge. But he excelled in the second half of the 2024-25 season, finishing the campaign with eight goals, and has continued to shine at the Club World Cup. The 24-year-old scored in the opening win over Los Angeles FC and created two goals in as many minutes as the Blues beat Esperance Tunis 3-0 in their final group game on Tuesday. Their reward is a last-16 clash with Benfica in Charlotte on Saturday. Maresca told reporters at his pre-match press conference: 'I'm very pleased with Enzo, especially because, first of all, he's a nice boy. He's polite, he's a good boy. 'Then he's worked very well in all aspects inside the pitch, outside the pitch. Our struggle at the beginning was (for him) to understand the way we want to play. 'But he is doing fantastic in terms of numbers, goal assists. This is what we want from our attacking players. 'I've said many times that I prefer to have the attacking players score 10-12 goal each, rather than just a striker with 40 goals. 'So his contribution this season has been top and I am sure next season will be even better.' Despite that, Fernandez could face competition for his place after Maresca suggested he sees Brazilian Andrey Santos more as an attacking player than a defensive one. The highly-rated 21-year-old has rejoined the club this summer after a successful loan spell at Strasbourg and made his debut as a second-half substitute against Esperance. Maresca said: 'His season has been very good but I think you need time to adapt. 'In terms of position, I see Andrey in this moment in more like Enzo's position than Romeo's (Lavia) position. 'The Premier League demands (players) to be physically strong. In this moment, I see Andrey more of an attacking player than defensive in the field.' Maresca added that he hopes 19-year-old defender Josh Acheampong will stay with the club despite being linked with Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund. He said: 'My idea or my plan with Josh is quite clear. I think he potentially can be a top defender for this club. I feel the best plan for Josh is to be with us.' Maresca would also like England international Trevoh Chalobah to stay, but offered no guarantees. He said: 'All the players that are here with us, I don't want to lose them but when the transfer window is open, unfortunately, anything can happen – not only for Trevoh, for (all) the 25 players of the squad.' Maresca expects a tight contest against Benfica. He said: 'It's going to be a balanced game, a tough game. In this kind of game the small details are very important.'
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