Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka: Who the hell are you? (Vol. 24)
2. Is he any good?
The fact that Chelsea was willing to fork over a total of £20 million (£15 million plus add-ons) for an 18-year-old who played just 13 games in the Premier League last season should tell you everything you need to know. Furthermore, the Blues paid this fee knowing full well Chukwuemeka had just one year remaining on his contract. Chelsea had to submit a worthwhile bid in order to fend off other interested parties circling the English youngster like vultures.
When Chukwuemeka made it abundantly clear that he would not re-sign with the Birmingham-based club—despite being offered a potential new deal that would’ve made him the highest paid teenager in the country—clubs interested in enlisting for his services came out of every crevice. Some of Europe’s most storied teams were waiting in the wings, most notably AC Milan and Barcelona. Yet, it was the Blues who managed to get the deal done with complete secrecy, shocking fans and journalists alike in the process. For anyone still wondering whether or not Chukwuemeka is any good, the aforementioned list of clubs should answer that question.
If the list of his suitors is not enough to convince you, he’s managed to have some success, even at such a young age. After his first start in the Premier League against the Bees, former manager and pundit Paul Merson had this to say about Chukwuemeka:
"“He will be an absolute star. He glides across the pitch. He is a nice size. He gets on the ball. He looks for it and makes runs without the ball. I think Villa fans going away will definitely be talking about him.”"
Chukwuemeka has the accolades to back up his status as well. As mentioned earlier, he is the reigning Academy Player of the Year for Aston Villa. The 18-year-old was most recently named to the UEFA Team of the Tournament at the UEFA European U19 Championships after helping England to a title win over Israel. Chukwuemeka was largely hailed as the best player on the Young Lions’ squad, as well. Suffice it to say, Chelsea has a gem on its hands.