Thomas Tuchel has been told to consider Carney Chukwuemeka for England’s number 10 role – he is brilliant at his best.
That’s what European football reporter Andy Brassell says, who highlighted the less discussed Englishman at Borussia Dortmund.
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Fitness issues meant Chukwuemeka was left behind Jobe Bellingham’s headline act.
However, on Saturday, the 22-year-old underlined why Dortmund turned his loan move from Chelsea into a permanent transfer.
Chukwuemeka scored his first Bundesliga goal of the season in his third consecutive start in the German top flight against Hamburg.
The playmaker thought he had scored the winner when he came on as a late substitute, but Dortmund conceded an equalizer in stoppage time.
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But while Chukwuemeka has been on the pitch this season, BVB can boast a perfect record of 11 goals scored and no goals conceded.
It follows the 17 appearances the former Aston Villa star made on loan at Signal Iduna Park from February.
Brassell revealed that Chukwuemeka’s fitness due to a lack of game time at Stamford Bridge meant they were unwilling to meet his £40 million release clause, but that had no bearing on his abilities and a deal worth around £24 million was eventually agreed.
He told The Pitch Prospect.com: “If you look at when Carney Chukwuemeka went on loan to Dortmund last season, it took them forever to get him fit enough to play. And when he finally played, he was brilliant. He was fantastic.”
“The club were always confident in his abilities. He was everything they wanted.”
“Mobile, who wanted to take on the responsibility of taking the team forward, can do a great job on both ends of the pitch. But it’s just a matter of getting him fit.”
“And that’s why they didn’t take him on at the price that they had already agreed with Chelsea as a permanent clause to keep him. They just felt it was too expensive because they compromised his fitness a little bit.
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“I guess the problem is that he was notoriously on the way out this summer, hasn’t had a full pre-season at Chelsea and isn’t arriving fully fit. So it’s something of a self-fulfilling prophecy really.”
“The fact is that Chukwuemeka has made a good impression this season. He has made a decent impression. He has made a positive impression.”
“By the way, there is enormous, enormous competition for places in central midfield for Dortmund at the moment.
“We’ve talked about Jobe Bellingham and he’s still treated like the real deal every time he’s not in the starting lineup. But actually he shouldn’t be starting every game because when you look at the fact that they have him, they have him.” [Julian] Brandt, [Felix] Nmecha, [Marcel] Sabitzer, Emre Can is back after an injury.
“It’s a lot and no one is going to play every game. To me it feels like Chukwuemeka has to come on. It’s like you play six games and then you’re where you’re supposed to be.”
“And that is quite difficult with the amount of games Dortmund plays and the fact that it is necessary to get results from them.”
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Chukwuemeka ‘edge of England squad’
Chukwuemeka was considered one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents before his £20million move To Chelsea in 2022.
Tuchel was the Blues boss who signed him, but he was controversially sacked over a month later and replaced by Graham Potter.
Chukwuemeka made just 32 appearances in three years at Chelsea and played just 130 minutes of football under Enzo Maresca last season.
He has played for England at every age level, from U17 to U20, but is yet to win his first cap.
The Three Lions already have a wealth of talent at number 10, including Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Morgan Rogers.
Chukwuemeka Austria can still reach the cap as it was born in Eisenstadt to Nigerian parents but grew up in Northampton.
Brassell added: “There is no doubt in my mind that when Chukwuemeka is fit and gives his best, we are talking about a fringe player in the England team, with such skills.”
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“I think he’s brilliant and everyone at Dortmund is completely confident in his abilities. I think the positive thing for him is the fact that they’re not under pressure to say, ‘You have to deliver now’, because they have these other players.”
“And the good thing about Chukwuemeka too is that he’s so versatile that he could work with most of these players and that would kind of make sense.
“If you look at what Dortmund are trying to do and how Niko Kovac covers every blade of grass on the move, I think he will get a lot of opportunities.
“At the moment you can’t say that the return was a great success.
“But I think Dortmund will take him at this reduced price as it is a long-term project with Chukwuemeka.
“They’re fully invested in this, and he’s fully invested in this. I think he’ll make it.”