Dortmund sign Chukwuemeka from Chelsea

Borussia Dortmund’s Premier League recruitment drive continued on Tuesday, August 26, with the permanent signing of England under-21 midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea on a contract running until 2030.

Chukwuemeka, 21, joins the Bundesliga side for a reported fee of €25 million ($29 million) after spending the second half of last season on loan at the club. During his loan spell, he made 17 appearances across all competitions, scoring once and featuring in Dortmund’s run to the Club World Cup quarter-finals despite struggling with injury setbacks.

In a statement released by the club, Chukwuemeka expressed his delight at making the move permanent. “I am happy Borussia Dortmund is now my footballing home. I will give everything to make sure we achieve our goals as a team,” he said.

Born in Austria and raised in England, Chukwuemeka came through Aston Villa’s academy before joining Chelsea in 2022. His development and technical ability have long marked him as one of England’s brightest midfield prospects.

Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken welcomed the signing, praising the player’s creativity and vision. “We are delighted to sign Carney Chukwuemeka, who further increases the quality and creativity of our attacking midfield,” Ricken said.

The move adds to Dortmund’s busy summer, which has already seen the arrivals of Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland and Yan Couto from Manchester City. Jobe follows in the footsteps of his older brother Jude Bellingham, who joined Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020 before sealing a record transfer to Real Madrid in 2023 for around €100 m