Borussia Dortmund’s Premier League recruitment drive continued on Tuesday with the signing of England U21 midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea on a long-term deal running until 2030.
The 21-year-old joins the Bundesliga club for a reported fee of €25 million ($29 million), following a successful loan spell during the second half of last season. Chukwuemeka featured 17 times in all competitions for Dortmund, scoring once and earning praise for his performances despite dealing with injury setbacks.
In a statement following his signing, Chukwuemeka expressed his excitement: “I’m happy Borussia Dortmund is now my footballing home. I will give everything to make sure we achieve our goals as a team.”
Born in Austria but raised in England, Chukwuemeka came through Aston Villa’s academy before joining Chelsea in 2022.
Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken said the club was “delighted” with the signing, adding that Chukwuemeka would “further increase the quality and creativity of our attacking midfield.”
His move marks Dortmund’s latest Premier League acquisition this summer, following the signings of Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland and Yan Couto from Manchester City.
Jobe’s older brother, Jude Bellingham, famously joined Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020 at the age of 17 before earning a €100 million transfer to Real Madrid three years later.
According to German outlet Bild, Dortmund may still complete two more Premier League signings before the transfer window closes on Monday, with Chelsea defender Aaron Anselmino and Wolves striker Fabio Silva reportedly on their radar.
Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, who has had two previous spells at Dortmund and recently ended a loan at Chelsea, is also being linked with a return to the Westfalenstadion.
Meanwhile, the club also announced on Tuesday morning that head coach Niko Kovac has signed a one-year contract extension, keeping him at the helm until 2027.
AFP
