Josh Acheampong

Chelsea have one of England's brightest defensive prospects in Josh Acheampong, the 19-year-old centre-back who has filled in for the injured Levi Colwill at Stamford Bridge on day one of the Premier League this season.

Acheampong is comfortable playing in central defence or at right-back, but he is known to prefer playing in the middle of the park and is seen as a hot prospect for the future.

Josh Acheampong is a Chelsea academy defender who signed his first professional deal in late 2023 after progressing through the club from the pre-academy years. He broke into senior contention in 2024 and made his Premier League debut as a late substitute against Tottenham on 2 May 2024, a milestone that underlined how highly he;s regarded at Cobham.

Physically he already looks first-team ready: mobile, springy over short distances, and balanced when changing direction. Technically he's neat rather than flashy, which suits the role he’s being groomed for - secure the touch, move the ball quickly, and choose the moments to surge forward. The defensive fundamentals - body shape, tackling angles, and back-post awareness—are ahead of his age curve, which is why he earned that Premier League bow before turning 18.

Why Chelsea rate (and kept) him is simple. He solves multiple squad problems without bending the game model. In a side that builds from the back and asks full-backs to be both defenders and midfielders, Acheampong offers tactical flexibility, academy-grown cost control, and the potential to develop into a long-term starter or, at minimum, dependable depth across two positions.

So far, with six Premier League appearances under his belt, expect to see this youngster take a more important role at Chelsea going forward.

EYEFOOTBALL RATING

Current Ability: 35/50

Potential Ability: 45/50