Chelsea owner Todd Boehly had a disagreement with the club’s former manager Thomas Tuchel over the £20m signing of former Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka in the summer transfer window.
What’s the word?
That is according to journalist Simon Phillips, who has informed GIVEMESPORT of his understanding on the tension between Tuchel and Boehly, who had contrasting opinions on the 18-year-old ought to be utilised this season.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Phillips said: “This is one of the many things that Tuchel and Boehly ended up disagreeing about, it was the signing of Chukwuemeka.
“I’m not saying Tuchel didn’t want him but they had different ideas about his role and Tuchel was more keen to send him out on loan to go and get experience. Straightaway, you can see why Tuchel didn’t pick him and didn’t play him because, it’s not that he didn’t want him in his squad, it’s that he didn’t think he was ready to play regular matches for Chelsea.
“So there was that disagreement there and Boehly had just spent quite a bit of money on him so Boehly wanted him playing this season.”
Chukwuemeka impresses behind the scenes
Whilst Tuchel did not think that “wonderkid” Chukwuemeka – as dubbed by the official UEFA Champions League Twitter channel – was ready to play regular matches until first being loaned out, Graham Potter’s approach on the matter may be slightly different.
Whether it was a prerequisite to give the youngster adequate minutes in the first team remains unclear, but the former Aston Villa man must be desperate for a chance to stake his claim, and clearly has the ability to do so.
Whilst the 18-year-old is yet to make an appearance in domestic or European competition for Chelsea, he has indeed featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly against his manager’s former club Brighton. It was a game which hinted at his potential to become a future favourite under Potter, with the starlet having scored twice to secure victory for the Blues.
Upon Chukwuemeka’s arrival from Aston Villa in early August, Boehly told Chelsea’s official website: “We are delighted to be able to bring him to Chelsea and add such a talented young individual to our squad for the new season and beyond.”
There clearly appears to be a future for the 18-year-old at Stamford Bridge under Boehly, and he will be hoping for more opportunities to impress Potter in the Blues’ first-team.
Now that Tuchel is no longer at Chelsea, the youngster might not have to wait a whole lot longer to prove himself to the SW6 faithful.
