Josh Acheampong
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Joshua Kofi Acheampong[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 5 May 2006||
Place of birth | London, England[3] | ||
Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Right-back, centre-back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Chelsea | ||
Number | 34 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2024 | Chelsea | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2024– | Chelsea | 1 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2022 | England U16 | 3 | (0) |
2022–2023 | England U17 | 19 | (1) |
2023–2024 | England U18 | 4 | (0) |
2024– | England U19 | 6 | (0) |
2024– | England U20 | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11:36, 10 December 2024 (UTC) |
Joshua Kofi Acheampong[1] (born 5 May 2006) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Chelsea. He has represented England as a youth international at multiple levels.
Early life
[edit]Born in London, Acheampong is of Ghanaian descent.[4] He first joined Chelsea's academy as an Under-8.[2]
Club career
[edit]On 3 January 2024, Acheampong signed his first professional contract with Chelsea.[5] On 11 March 2024, Acheampong was named in the Chelsea first team squad in the Premier League match against Newcastle United but remained an unused substitute[6] On 2 May 2024, three days before his 18th birthday, Acheampong made his professional debut, coming on as a substitute in the 85th minute of a 2–0 Chelsea victory at Stamford Bridge over their London derby rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.[7]
Following a period of time away from the first team due to problems regarding the extension his contract, he made his full debut against FC Astana on 12 December 2024 in the UEFA Conference League.[8][9] On 18 December, Chelsea announced that they have reached an agreement to extend Acheampong's contract to June 2029.[10]
International career
[edit]In May 2023, Acheampong was a member of the England under-17 squad that finished fifth at the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.[11] In November 2023 he was selected to represent England at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup and scored a goal in their opening game against New Caledonia.[12][13]
On 4 September 2024, Acheampong made his England U19 debut against Italy in Nedelišće.[14]
On 10 October, Acheampong made his U20 debut during a 2–1 win over Italy in Frosinone.[15]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 19 December 2024
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Chelsea | 2023–24[16] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
2024–25[17] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
Career total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
Honours
[edit]Chelsea U18s
- Southern Champion: 2023–24
England U18s
References
[edit]- ^ a b "2023/24 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Josh Acheampong". Chelsea Football Club. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Josh Acheampong". World Football.net. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "Chelsea secure rising star Josh-Kofi Acheampong with first pro contract". Ghana Soccernet. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "Acheampong signs professional contract". Chelsea F.C. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Confirmed Chelsea line up vs Newcastle United". Chelsea F.C. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Burnton, Simon (2 May 2024). "Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham: Premier League – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ Marsh, Dan (2024-10-23). "Maresca can't hide true feelings after Chelsea youngster is brutally frozen out". The Mirror. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ "Match report: Astana 1-3 Chelsea". Chelsea F.C. 2024-12-12. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ "Josh Acheampong signs new Chelsea contract". Chelsea F.C. 2024-12-18. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ Veevers, Nicholas (17 May 2023). "England MU17s squad named for EURO Finals". England Football. The Football Association. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Smith, Frank (2 November 2023). "England squad for the FIFA U-17 World Cup". England Football. The Football Association. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "England v New Caledonia". ESPN. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Veevers, Nicholas (4 September 2024). "Report: England MU19s 2-2 Italy". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Vassell, Zac (10 October 2024). "Report: England Men's ELS 2-1 Italy". England Football. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Josh Acheampong in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Josh Acheampong in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Report: England MU18s 2-1 Netherlands". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- 2006 births
- Living people
- Footballers from London
- England men's youth international footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- Chelsea F.C. players
- Black British sportsmen
- Premier League players
- English people of Ghanaian descent
- Sportspeople of Ghanaian descent
- English men's footballers
- 21st-century English sportsmen