Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca talks up potential of Chelsea academy graduate

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has described Josh Acheampong as "a top defender for the future".

Having arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer, Maresca was left with the unenviable task of significantly reducing the first-team squad at Stamford Bridge.

That was achieved through the club's recruitment team facilitating a wide array of sales and loans, seemingly leaving Maresca with a more settled squad.

One of the concerns among the Chelsea fanbase is fewer homegrown players coming through their academy ranks, the preference potentially being for a sale to another club.

Nevertheless, Maresca has seemed to hint that he has plans to eventually hand more senior minutes to one of the club's top prosects.

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"I really like him"

Acheampong was one of the many young players who were either handed time on the substitutes' bench or minutes as a substitute in first-team fixtures under Mauricio Pochettino.

The 18-year-old was introduced during the final minutes of a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in May, the teenager being trusted to help his side see out an important win against a London rival.

While Acheampong is yet to make a competitive appearance during 2024-25, Maresca has suggested that bringing him into the fold is on his agenda.

He told reporters, as quoted by football.london: "I really like Josh. For me, potentially he can be a top player, a top defender for the future.

"With young players, I have quite a bit of experience and I like to modify them a little bit. Today, with young players; they can change very quickly.

"They can think they are so good, or so bad, so I think you need to moderate the way they train."

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When could Acheampong feature?

With Maresca suggesting that he is in no rush to rely on Acheampong, an appearance in the Premier League in the short term looks highly unlikely.

Even with Reece James and Malo Gusto out injured for the game with West Ham United on Saturday, Acheampong was not named in the first-team squad.

However, Tuesday's EFL Cup tie against Barrow could represent an opportunity to earn some game time, as could Chelsea's six matches in the Europa Conference League group phase.

A Premier League rival is said to be monitoring his development, something that may force Chelsea's hand with regards to first-team minutes.

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