Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed that 18-year-old Josh Acheampong will make his first start for the club in their Conference League clash against Astana on Thursday.
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Acheampong, who has played just once this season, made his senior debut as a substitute in the 5-0 Carabao Cup win over Barrow in September. However, the promising right-back found himself sidelined from both first-team and academy action for two months due to a contract dispute.
The standoff appears to be nearing its resolution, with Maresca revealing that Chelsea and Acheampong are close to reaching an agreement. The youngster has rejoined first-team training and is set to feature prominently in Kazakhstan.
“He’s in the squad,” Maresca confirmed during Wednesday’s press conference. “And probably he’s going to play from the start.
“With Josh, it’s quite clear. We all love Josh. The club loves Josh. I love Josh. We’re trying to find an agreement with him, and we’re close—almost there.”
Acheampong’s return to the fold comes after a strong showing for Chelsea’s U21 side against Derby last month. Now, he looks set to take a major step forward in his Chelsea career as Maresca rotates his squad for the sixteen-hour round trip to Kazakhstan.
“The general decision about the squad is already there, but we will see,” Maresca explained. “Some players will stay, some will travel. We try to manage things as we have all season.”
Maresca emphasized Chelsea’s commitment to ensuring consistent playing time for all players, including younger talents. “The goal since the start of the season has been to ensure everyone plays 90 minutes regularly, regardless of the competition,” he added.
The Conference League fixture offers Chelsea an opportunity to develop its next generation while maintaining their campaign momentum. For Acheampong, the match marks an important milestone in what could be a breakthrough season for the talented right-back.
