Chelsea are looking to secure the long term future of Acheampong

Chelsea are moving to protect the future of Josh Acheampong, with the club preparing an improved long-term contract for the highly-rated defender.

The 20-year-old is already tied to Stamford Bridge until 2029, but interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Bournemouth has convinced Chelsea that it makes sense to act early rather than allow speculation to build.

Acheampong has developed quickly over the past year and is now viewed as a genuine first-team player rather than simply another academy prospect.

Chelsea want Acheampong tied down beyond 2029

According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea want to reward Acheampong with improved terms and potentially extend his stay until 2032.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle and Bournemouth all made enquiries during the summer, while Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Napoli have also shown interest over the past 12 months.

Chelsea, however, have repeatedly made it clear that they do not want to sell.

Xabi Alonso is understood to be fully behind the new contract talks and sees Acheampong as an important part of his long-term plans because of his ability to play at centre-back, right-back and in other defensive roles.

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Blues are desperate to keep the young defender

Acheampong’s versatility is one of the biggest reasons Chelsea rate him so highly.

Alonso praised the defender earlier this season, saying: “When he plays with confidence and aggressiveness, he has a lot of attributes for a modern defender.”

The Chelsea boss also highlighted his comfort on the ball and ability to operate in different positions, with the comments published on Chelsea’s official website.

That is exactly the type of player top clubs want now. Acheampong is athletic, technically secure and already looks comfortable stepping into senior football. At 20, there is also plenty of room for him to improve.

From Chelsea’s point of view, handing him a new deal feels like an obvious decision.

Losing a Cobham graduate to Liverpool or Arsenal after investing years in his development would be particularly frustrating. More importantly, Chelsea appear to believe Acheampong can become a genuine long-term starter.

The outside interest is flattering, but right now the smart move is to make sure he stays exactly where he is.

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