- Barcelona have allegedly identified Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka as a potential summer transfer target.
Carney Chukwuemeka is reportedly being lined up for a surprising summer transfer to Barcelona.
The 20-year-old has made a total of 12 appearances for the Blues during his second season at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea signed Chukwuemeka as a promising teenager after his success at Aston Villa and for England age-group sides. He was a key part of a Villa team that won the 2021 FA Youth Cup, leading to a first team breakthrough, before winning the U19 Euros the following summer.
The midfielder made 16 appearances for Villa but Chukweumeka was snapped up by Chelsea for £20m in 2022 after entering the last year of his contract at Villa Park.
However, Chukwuemeka has faced significant challenges at Stamford Bridge, being limited to four starts and 23 substitute outings since arriving from Aston Villa in the summer of 2022. Much of his lack of game time has been due to injuries, particularly this season after beginning the campaign in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting lineup.
Chukwuemeka’s return to the first-team squad hasn’t guaranteed regular playing time, as Pochettino has shown a preference for other midfield options, including Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Conor Gallagher. Despite this, there’s a growing sentiment among supporters that the England Under-21 international deserves more opportunities.
Carney Chukwuemeka photo
A report from talkSPORT has indicated that Barcelona is preparing to ‘reignite their interest’ in Chukwuemeka this summer, as they had previously shown interest in him before his move to Stamford Bridge in 2022.
However, a move to Barcelona might present its own challenges as playing time could be limited at the Nou Camp, given the club’s talented midfield roster, including players like Gavi, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Fermin Lopez, Ilkay Gundogan, and Oriol Romeu.
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Although Chukwuemeka is unlikely to leave Chelsea, the Blues are expected to have a busy summer of transfer activity, with players like Hakim Ziyech, Romelu Lukaku, and Ian Maatsen set to be sold permanently after their loan spells, while Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah may also be offloaded to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
Additionally, Marc Cucurella has been linked with an exit, and Thiago Silva has hinted at not extending his contract amid the possibility of returning to Brazil.