By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Borussia Dortmund are set to complete the permanent signing of Nigeria-eligible Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea in a deal worth up to £24 million, with a significant sell-on clause included.
The 21-year-old midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Dortmund, is close to finalizing his return — a move he was eager to make despite late interest from RB Leipzig.
Chelsea had initially considered another loan extension but rejected Dortmund’s proposal, prioritizing a permanent transfer to further boost their summer income.
The deal will push the Blues’ sales revenue to a league-leading £273.4 million, nearly offsetting the club’s £277 million outlay on new arrivals.
Chukwuemeka joined Chelsea from Aston Villa in 2022 for £20 million but endured an injury-disrupted spell in London, making just 32 appearances.
He publicly criticized the club’s treatment of players during his time there, adding to speculation about his long-term future.
At Dortmund, however, he made 17 appearances and scored once during his loan spell, impressing the coaching staff with his versatility and dynamism in midfield.
Head coach Niko Kovač has repeatedly praised the youngster, calling him a “special talent” with the qualities to develop into a key player for the Bundesliga side.
The deal is expected to be announced in the coming days, marking another high-profile Chelsea departure in their ongoing squad overhaul.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
