Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah has reportedly turned down a new contract offer from the club amid concerns over his future opportunities at the club.
The 22-year-old made just 15 appearances in all competitions last season with limited minutes, but after impressing at the U21 European Championship, he’ll be eager to continue to play regularly moving forward.
According to The Independent, Chalobah is set for showdown talks with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte in the coming weeks, at which point he will likely clear up his future and figure out what his next step should be.
As noted in the report, the Premier League champions are being heavily linked with completing a swoop for Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko next week, and that will only push Chalobah further down the pecking order.
In turn, it’s no real surprise that he wants those discussions before his commits his future to Chelsea. With just a year remaining on his current contract, a decision will be needed this summer, and while the Blues are said to be keen on an extension, much will now depend on those talks to determine whether or not he stays.
While that’s one youngster set for an exit from Stamford Bridge, The Sun report that Chelsea have completed a move for Exeter wonderkid Ethan Ampadu.
The 16-year-old has been discussed for months now with several top clubs monitoring his progress, and it seems as though Chelsea have won the race for his signature.
It’s added that Exeter are hoping to negotiate a decent deal in order to avoid going to a tribunal, but it remains to be seen whether or not it’s that straightforward.
Naturally, the concern for Ampadu will be over his first-team opportunities, as with Chalobah potentially following Dominic Solanke out of the club this summer, there’s a long way to go for him to get where he ideally wants to be in the senior side.