Chelsea Midfielder Available for £40 Million Release Clause in January

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has indicated he won’t stand in the way of players who wish to leave the club in the January transfer window. This comes as several high-profile squad members have struggled for consistent playing time this season.

Left-back Ben Chilwell, who has only played 45 minutes across all competitions, is reportedly drawing interest from Premier League, La Liga and Serie A clubs. Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is also said to have up to 10 teams interested in his services.

Even striker Christopher Nkunku, one of Chelsea’s top scorers, is rumored to be considering an exit as he has failed to establish himself as a Premier League regular under Maresca.

However, the most intriguing transfer situation involves young midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka. The 21-year-old has only made five appearances totaling around 130 minutes this season, with no Premier League action.

According to The Athletic, Chukwuemeka has a £40 million release clause in his contract that becomes active in January. While this figure may seem high given his lack of playing time, it sets a benchmark for Chelsea’s valuation of the player.

Despite his limited opportunities, Chukwuemeka has been praised for his abilities by figures like Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly, who called him a “clinical” player. It remains to be seen if any clubs will meet the release clause or if Chelsea would be open to negotiating a lower fee.

As the January window approaches, Maresca maintains the club is focused on winning games rather than transfer activity. However, he acknowledged that if unhappy players want to leave, “the best thing for everyone is that they are going to leave.”