Borussia Dortmund are reportedly showing interest in Aston Villa youngster Carney Chukwuemeka ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 18-year-old made his breakthrough at senior level at the end of last season, making his debut in the Premier League under Dean Smith after impressing at youth level prior to that.
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He’s built on that experience and gone on to make 11 appearances for the first-team so far this season, and while there is no doubt that both Villa and Steven Gerrard rate him highly, there is ongoing uncertainty over his long-term future at the club.
As reported by The Daily Mail, Dortmund are keeping tabs on the talented teenager as they prepare a potential swoop this summer, building on their transfer strategy of signing young English talent, developing them to help them become more competitive before cashing in when a big offer comes in.
Chukwuemeka’s current Villa contract runs until next summer, and so the hope is that there is still plenty of time for the two parties to reach an agreement on new terms, as ultimately he has a bright future ahead of him and it would ideal to see him mature and evolve into a top player with us.
However, the fact is that with the competition for places in the Villa squad, it’s difficult to see Chukwuemeka’s situation changing between now and the end of the season.
In turn, if his decision is purely based on playing time and having a prominent role, then Villa could be in danger of losing him this summer, as it would make sense to sell him while he still holds high value, assuming he will not sign a new deal with us.
Time will tell how the situation plays out, but after Gerrard publicly revealed earlier this month that there hasn’t been much progress in contract negotiations, it does seem as though a Chukwuemeka exit could be on the cards.