Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of England Under-21 international Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea on a five-year deal worth up to £24m.
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at the German club, making 17 appearances, including four at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Dortmund were impressed enough with his contribution last season to make the move permanent now.
Chukwuemeka originally joined Chelsea from Aston Villa in 2022 for £20m, going on to feature 32 times for the Blues and scoring twice.
Last season, he made just five appearances before his January switch to Dortmund, his final outing in a Chelsea shirt came in a UEFA Conference League win over Astana.
Chelsea confirmed his departure on Tuesday, saying: “We want to thank Carney for his efforts and wish him well for the future.”
Anselmino Also Joins on Loan
The move comes alongside another deal between the clubs, with Chelsea defender Aaron Anselmino agreeing a season-long loan to Dortmund.
The 19-year-old Argentine has already flown to Germany to finalise the move.
Chelsea’s Balancing Act
Carney Chukwuemeka’s departure takes Chelsea’s income from player sales this summer past £270m, almost balancing out the £277m they have spent on new arrivals.
UEFA has instructed the club to record a positive transfer balance this window in order to register their new signings for the Champions League, following a £26.7m fine for breaches of financial rules.
The Blues’ wage-to-revenue ratio has also been a concern, with squad costs reportedly exceeding 80% of income.
Several other players, including Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Tyrique George, Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell, have been linked with exits before next Monday’s deadline.
Meanwhile, Chelsea continue to explore possible signings, with Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons reportedly on their radar.