Enzo Maresca is ready to hand a full debut to Chelsea starlet Josh Acheampong after revealing progress in contract talks between the player and the club.
The 18-year-old is one of the most highly-rated talents coming out of the Cobham, though the defender has played just once this season amid uncertainty over his future.
Acheampong, who came on as a substitute in the Carabao Cup against Barrow, is yet to commit his long-term future to the club, sparking interest from Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund and other top clubs.
But after failing to feature for the first team in recent months, Maresca is now poised to hand him a full debut against Astana in the Conference League on Thursday.
“Probably, yes,” Maresca said when asked if he intends to hand out any debuts to younger players in Kazakhstan.
“He's in the squad, probably he'll play from the start. With Josh, it's clear, we all love Josh.
“The club loves Josh, I love Josh, we are trying to find an agreement with the player, we are close, we are almost there. We'll see.”
Maresca had bemoaned the situation earlier in the season and his inability to select the player until a resolution was found.
“I feel a shame for Josh,” said Maresca. “This kind of game could be an opportunity for him. I had a chat with him personally about three weeks ago about his situation. The chat we had was very positive.
“It’s a shame because I really think Josh potentially can be a top player. He’s still 18, so many things can change for him, but potentially he can be very important for Chelsea.
“It’s so important for the club that our intention is not to lose him. The first thing we need to do is find a solution about his contract, his future.
“It’s a bad situation in this moment for him. I don’t know if the people who are trying to solve the problem are helping him or not.”
Acheampong is an England Under-20 international and made his Blues debut as a second-half substitute during last season’s 2-0 win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.
“I really like Josh and I would like to have him here with us,” Maresca said before October’s Conference League clash with Panathinaikos. “But it’s not possible.”
