Chelsea hint at breakthrough ahead of January window after freezing out player

Josh Acheampong is training with Chelsea's squad ahead of a trip to Heidenheim after being frozen out for a while.

The teenager is incredibly highly rated by the Blues but has yet to sign a new contract in West London and as a result the 18-year-old has been shunned. Acheampong was told that he would not play for the club again until he put pen to paper on a new contract.

His contract was due to expire in 2026, but the youngster has now been spotted with the first team in what may be the biggest indication yet that he has opted to stay with the Blues. No official announcement has been made yet, but Chelsea were adamant in their position that he would be overlooked as talks continued, especially as the January transfer window approached.

Acheampong was included on the Blues pre-season tour after rising through the ranks at Stamford Bridge, but had not been included in the first-team squad for several weeks. The defender was not even considered for selection by the development team.

Maresca previously admitted he regretted Acheampong missing games, but Chelsea chose to take a stand on their young talent as the top clubs made the rounds.

“To be honest, I'm a bit ashamed for Josh because I think these types of matches could be an opportunity for him. I spoke to him in person about three weeks ago; about his situation and the conversation we had was a very good conversation, a positive conversation but I haven't spoken to him since.

'Like I said, it's a shame. I think Josh has the potential to be a top player. He is still 18, so still very young, so many things can change for him, but he can potentially be very important for Chelsea. It is so important for the club that our intention is not to lose him. The first thing we have to do is find a solution for his future.”

Acheampong has made just one appearance under Maresca this season, playing 27 minutes in their 5-0 win over League Two team Barrow in the Carabao Cup. After years of neglecting their young talent, Chelsea have now shown that they will promote from within.

Certain parts of their team are overcrowded after a period of heavy recruitment, which has significantly grown the size of their team. However, Reece James is an example of an academy graduate becoming a regular, while the likes of Mason Mount have done so in the past.