Izuchukwu Okosi
Chelsea on Thursday confirmed the signing of Anglo-Nigerian midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa reports Prime Business Africa.
The Blues had agreed a £20m transfer of the talented youngster with Villa who did not travel to the club’s pre season tour.
Both sides had announced 48 hours ago that they had reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of the player subject to him passing his medicals.
That hurdle has been successfully crossed with Chukwuemeka now looking forward to developing further under Thomas Tuchel.
The England youth Chukwuemeka joined Villa’s academy from Northampton Town in 2016 with his older brother Caleb and made his senior debut in 2021. He played 12 times in the league last season as the Birmingham-based club finished 14th.
“It’s been quite hectic but I couldn’t get Chelsea out of my head the last few days so I’m just happy and relieved that it’s all done,” Chukwuemeka, 18, told Chelsea’s website.
“I’m so excited and just can’t wait to get on the pitch, meet all the players and try to win games and trophies with Chelsea.”
Chukwuemeka, who won the Under-19 European Championship with England last month, becomes Chelsea’s fourth signing of the current transfer window.
The player born of Nigerian parents from the Igbo speaking extraction was also the subject of interests from Arsenal and Barcelona.
Thomas Tuchel’s side have brought in England forward Raheem Sterling from Manchester City and Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli.
On Tuesday, Chelsea completed a move for teenage goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina but the American will remain on loan at MLS side Chicago Fire for the 2022-23 season.
Chelsea begin their league campaign at Everton on Saturday at 5pm Nigerian time.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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