CHELSEA have reportedly frozen out a highly-rated academy teenager until he signs a new contract.
It is claimed the Blues told defender Josh Acheampong he will not play for the first team or the development squad while he stalls over the fresh terms.
Acheampong, 18, is currently tied down at Stamford Bridge until 2026.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea are said to have opened talks over an extension to secure his long-term future at the club.
But with negotiations stalling, he has been exiled from competitive action.
Acheampong established himself as the third-choice right-back during pre-season under Enzo Maresca – after making his senior debut for Mauricio Pochettino in May, three days before his 18th birthday.
Captain Reece James and Malo Gusto are the recognised top two.
Although the club showed interest in Pedro Lima from Sport Recife – who eventually joined Wolves – Acheampong looked set to be around the first-team set-up with Maresca in charge.
However, his only appearance of the season came as a second-half substitute against Barrow in the Carabao Cup on September 24.
Notably, though, he was not included in the matchday squads for the games against Bournemouth and West Ham last month when both James and Gusto were unavailable.
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Maresca, instead, opted for centre-backs Axel Disasi and Wesley Fofana to fill in.
Even more alarmingly, Acheampong has not played for the Under-21s since September 15.
That is despite starting four of their first five games of the season.
Acheampong was left out of the squad for the Premier League Cup clash at Bournemouth on Monday.
But he is not injured – and even featured twice for England U20s during the October international break.
The report claims the situation will not be resolved unless he puts pen to paper on a new deal.
But Chelsea are hopeful of tying their highly-rated youngster down, especially amid interest from other clubs.
The likes of fellow right-backs Tariq Lamptey and Tino Livramento ended up leaving Chelsea to advance their careers.
Academy graduates Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher, meanwhile, were allowed to depart after entering the final year of their contracts.
Chelsea declined to comment when approached by SunSport.
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Chelsea ratings vs Liverpool
By Ken Lawrence
LIVERPOOL held on to beat Chelsea 2-1 in a thriller as they moved to the top of the Premier League table.
Mohamed Salah opened the scoring against his former club from the penalty spot after Levi Colwill tripped Curtis Jones in the box.
Chelsea went into the break trailing and it was nearly worse, only for VAR to overturn a second Liverpool penalty after Robert Sanchez’s lunge on Jones.
The Blues came out from the break flying and Nicolas Jackson equalised.
But they failed to hold on with star of the show Jones netting the winner just minutes later.
Here is how SunSport rated the Chelsea players at Anfield.
ROBERT SANCHEZ – 5
Survived a shocker of a challenge on Jones to not give away a pen and never convincing.
REECE JAMES – 6
Got through 53 minutes in first start since last December and will surely shake off the rust.
TOSIN ADARABIOYO – 5
Booked early on for clattering into Diogo Jota and no surprise was hooked for the second half.
LEVI COLWILL – 5
Got away with one challenge against a diving Salah but a no- challenge penalty after hacked on Jones.
MALO GUSTO – 7
Intelligent display and constant threat down the left flank in the first half especially.
MOISES CAICEDO – 5
At £105m and in Chelsea’s biggest test of the season was found badly wanting.
ROMEO LAVIA – 5
Got the nod over Enzo Fernandez from the start but failed to show any urgency.
NONI MADUEKE – 6
Always mobile and was productive playing as a right-sided attacker – giving Robertson a tough afternoon.
COLE PALMER – 5
Deployed in central midfield but struggled to show his star quality and blazed over a good chance just before the break.
JADON SANCHO – 4
Lacked any real spark and unsurprisingly hooked off at the start of the second half.
NICOLAS JACKSON – 7
Picked up a typically mouthy booking but the boy definitely has something – as his fine equaliser proved.
SUBS:
PEDRO NETO (for Sancho 46) – 6
Looked a whole lot livelier than the wide man he took over from.
BENOIT BADIASHILE (for Adarabioyo 53) – 6
Looked a lot steadier than the centre-back he replaced.
RENATO VEIGA (for James 53) – 5
Got stuck in and was booked.
ENZO FERNANDEZ (for Romeo Lavia) – 6
Worked diligently to use his passing to make an impact late on.
CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU (for Noni Madueke 76) – 5
Found it difficult to make his presence felt as the Reds dug in to win.
