Joe Cole has showered Carney Chukwuemeka in praise and hailed the importance of a deal for the teen midfielder after Chelsea finalised his signing from Aston Villa earlier in August.
Joe Cole feels Aston Villa sold ‘one of the most talented players’ in Chukwuemeka
Aston Villa sold ‘one of the most talented players in England’ in Carney Chukwuemeka with his transfer to Chelsea. That’s the view of former Stamford Bridge midfielder Joe Cole, who has told the Evening Standard that the Blues have acquired one of the brightest prospects.
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Thomas Tuchel raided Villa Park earlier this month to snap up a £20m deal for the 18-year-old to move to west London. Chukwuemeka had entered the final year of his contract with the Villans, resulting in Steven Gerrard overlooking the rising star for his pre-season squad.
Gerrard was also not too forthcoming with first-team outings in the Premier League during last season. The Eisenstadt, Austria-born talent played 11 top-flight fixtures under Gerrard, but only started in one match and featured for a combined 231 minutes across his outings.
Todd Boehly looking into the Blues’ future after Villa Park swoop this summer
Chelsea have handed Chukwuemeka a six-year contract as the Blues look to the future and the now under new owner Todd Boehly. The Stamford Bridge natives have also added 18-year-old Gabriel Slonina from Chicago Fire, and are chasing Inter Milan ace Cesare Casadei.
Tuchel could afford Chukwuemeka his Chelsea debut after signing from Aston Villa when the Blues host Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday. The German omitted the midfielder from his matchday squad as the Blues won 1-0 away to Everton on the opening day of the term.
Chukwuemeka will hope his decision to join the west London outfit’s project sees his path to success come sooner than it appeared in Birmingham. He had already shown he boasts a solid foundation, and shone with England as they won the U19 European Championship.
The Young Lions won the tournament in Slovakia this summer, with Chukwuemeka playing all five games. He also captained Ian Foster’s side to a 1-0 win over Israel during the group stage, alongside striking the net three times – including once in the final – plus two assists.
Now, Cole is in awe of the player Chelsea have signed from Aston Villa and what the Blues’ summer swoop for Chukwuemeka will mean for his former side in the years to now follow.
“Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa is one of the most talented players in England,” Cole declared. “That signing is even more important when you realise that signing young players from Europe has changed since Brexit.
“It’s important that even if we pay a bit more than we want to, that we’re getting the best young British players in the door for the next generation.”
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