Not for the first time in a week, Chelsea have made the decision to retain one of their young stars rather than allowing them to move on this season for the Under-20 World Cup with England. The tournament, taking place in Indonesia, starts before the end of the club season and has left many sides facing a dilemma.
Whereas playing for their country would be a massive feather in the cap of any player, no matter if it for the youth sides or senior ones, there are still fates to be decided. EFL play-off games are still taking place and the small prospect of a relegation battle, FA Cup final and Champions League final still have to be completed.
Chelsea have no such jeopardy at stake but have been hit with a set of injuries throughout the squad. Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella are both out and unlikely to return this season, whilst N'Golo Kante, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic could all have played their last games of the campaign, too.
READ MORE: Chelsea 'offered' Christian Pulisic in stunning $108m transfer swap move
Frank Lampard has already admitted that it was his choice to keep back 18-year-old Lewis Hall from the squad, explaining: “It’s my decision that he needs to stay with us for the four games. Obviously we’ve got injuries at both our left-backs who have been playing regularly this season and that leaves us in a position where we want and need Lewis.
"[He] would have wanted to play for his country and be honoured to represent [but] also he has come through this academy and will be desperate for opportunity and I think that is what I sense from him so I think he did it right on both sides. He would have been happy to go and now he is happy to hopefully get some opportunity in these last games."
Now that has been repeated with fellow starlet Carney Chukwuemeka. Despite being frozen out of the first team since January, the teenager has been kept behind until the end of the season. There are currently three players out in his position between now and May 28, with tournament group stages starting on May 22 and finishing on May 28.
Chukwuemeka, who joined last summer for a fee that could rise to £20million, will be able to join up with his international teammates after that should they progress though a group with Tunisia, Uruguay and Iraq.
He, along with Rico Lewis of Manchester City and Samuel Iling-Junior, have all been retained by their clubs until a later date with honours and crucial league positions to fight for.
It may well be a frustration for Chukwuemeka specifically, though, having been on the outside of things for most of 2023 despite a string of positive performances heading into the Qatar World Cup. He does have more to play for than just his spot, however. Chukwuemeka is expected to be allowed to leave on loan this summer if he wants but could also force his way into Mauricio Pochettino's thinking.
The Evening Standard report that the Argentine is a fan of the former Aston Villa starlet. Given the competition for places both now and heading into the summer, it is a chance that Chukwuemeka cannot simply give up ahead of the expected appointment of Pochettino.
READ NEXT:
Todd Boehly has new money-saving Chelsea transfer plan after $421m Roman Abramovich failure
Mauricio Pochettino has Chelsea 'killer' as former Tottenham boss agrees new manager contract
Mauricio Pochettino already has Chelsea's own 'Ben White' after Frank Lampard genius decision
NFL star JJ Watt makes Chelsea promise after signing Burnley agreement
Cristiano Ronaldo makes 'unusual' Zinedine Zidane request after Chelsea next manager talk
