Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka attracting interest from European giants: Reports

Chelsea's Carney Chukwuemeka is reportedly a priority transfer target for AC Milan in the upcoming January transfer window. The player was signed by the Blues from Aston Villa for a reported fee of €18 million a little over two years ago.

However, Chukwuemeka has failed to carve a niche for himself in a Chelsea side that is bloated with players in every position. He has yet to play a single minute this season and played just 12 times across competitions last term, managing two goals and an assist.

According to Italian outlet Sportmediaset (via Fichajes), AC Milan want to sign Chukwuemeka in the January window, with the player valued at around €30 million. It is worth mentioning that he still has four years left on his deal at Stamford Bridge.

The 20-year-old Englishman was even linked with a late summer move to Manchester United last month but nothing transpired (via Sky Sports' Dharmesh Sheth). As of now, it seems unlikely Enzo Maresca has a place for him in his team.

The former Leicester City boss, after all, already has the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, and the newly-signed Kiernan Drewsbury-Hall at his disposal.

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Enzo Maresca doesn't see Carney Chukwuemeka as a regular Chelsea starter

Enzo Maresca spoke about Carney Chukwuemeka last month, and the manager's comments seemed to hint at a potential loan deal for the player. The Italian tactician said that given the youngster's injury issues, he needed a run of games to prove his worth.

Maresca stated (via Metro):

"I think every case is different. Carney, I think he is a very good player,’ the manager explained in his post-match press conference. The problem is, because of some injuries in the past, I think the best for him is to play 30 or 35 games in a row, to show himself that he is fit and how good he is because he is very good.

"With us, is he going to play 35 games? I’m not sure."

The seven-cap England U20 international has been sidelined for a total of 237 days as a result of injuries since his transfer to west London. He hasn't started a Premier League game since Chelsea's 3-1 loss to West Ham in August 2023, where he scored a goal before being forced off due to an injury.