When Carney Chukwuemeka decided to join Chelsea from Aston Villa in August 2022, where he emerged as one of England’s brightest young players, eyebrows were raised.
The then Villa manager Steven Gerrard believed Chukwuemeka could one day evolve into a great player for the club. Yet his heart was set on a move to west London and he became the fifth signing of the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital era in a £20 million deal. While some may have been surprised, it was the culmination of everything the Chukwuemeka family had worked towards.
“Chelsea was the team I grew up supporting and I said to my dad [Charles] ‘let’s get it done’,” Chukwuemeka admitted. “I didn’t want to waste any time. I just came from winning the under-19s Euros with England that summer and a week after they were calling and there was only one place I was going. I backed myself to go there and play, and make an impact because I know what I can do and I trust myself and the people around me.
“I just want to prove the critics wrong. To show them God knows best at the end of the day. The move wouldn’t have happened without him and that’s how I see it, how my family sees it. It gives me more motivation to show everyone what I can do and prove to them that it was the right choice and that I will have a future at Chelsea.”
For Chukwuemeka, the brutal highs and lows of football can be summed up in a 20-minute period against West Ham in August. In the 28th minute, he was celebrating a significant milestone in his fledgling Chelsea career after scoring his first goal for the club but by half-time, he required help leaving the field at the London Stadium with a knee injury that led him to miss more than four months of football.
The midfielder made his long-awaited return as a late substitute in the Premier League win over Fulham earlier this month and the relief at coming back was evident as he shared a long embrace with team-mate Thiago Silva at the final whistle. Now he is pushing for a start against his old club in the FA Cup on Friday night.
“It’s a great feeling to be back and now I want to help the team and establish myself as a starter,” he said. “I want to contribute goals and assists to the team, move up the table and I’m looking forward to hopefully coming up against Villa.”
In the 16 months after Chukwuemeka’s arrival, four different managers have taken charge at Chelsea with the current incumbent, Mauricio Pochettino, tasked with making the club one of the dominant forces in European football again.
Significant investment was made last summer to the Chelsea squad, particularly in midfield. Yet in a show of faith, the Argentine coach started Chukwuemeka in Chelsea’s opening two league games against Liverpool and West Ham and the 20-year-old says Pochettino’s impact on him was immediate.
“Pochettino coming in has changed my whole Chelsea career,” Chukwuemeka said. “From pre-season he just gave me so much confidence in myself. After not playing much last year, I felt like a new player coming into pre-season and I had to show what I can do. Because of that, I got my rewards at the start of the season.
“It’s just how he is with us as players. He knows when to be ruthless with us, he knows when to put an arm around us. I need someone to be ruthless but at the same time, if I’ve done something good, take compliments too.”
Chukwuemeka might also have a future in the England senior team after his exploits in 2022, scoring in the 3-1 under-19 Euro final win over Israel. While he starred from central midfield in that tournament, his time with Pochettino has seen him start as a No 10. So what is his best position?
“When I was 15, I played off the left but came inside a lot because I wasn’t really a typical winger,” he says. “At 16 the decision was made to play in midfield. My coaches saw something that maybe they hadn’t seen before. Now I’m most effective as a box-to-box No 8 where I can drive with the ball.
“Playing as a No 10, I can link up play so my flair comes out a bit but I don’t mind. I’m powerful, a good dribbler, good at connecting play and technique.”
With a February trip to Wembley for the League Cup final already secured, there are high hopes the second half of the season can be a success. Fans have only seen fleeting glimpses of what Chukwuemeka is capable of but can be confident their boyhood blue is only just getting started.
“My dad is always on me saying I can do more, I can be better, I’ve got the world at my feet,” he said. “I just have to keep going, keep my head down and stay grounded and not let anything I’ve done distract me.”
- Carney Chukwuemeka is wearing the Nike Tech Fleece collection which is available here.
