Chelsea to sign Carney Chukwuemeka after snubbing Aston Villa deal to become highest-paid teen in England

Chelsea have agreed to pay £20million to sign Aston Villa teenager Carney Chukwuemeka, who was a star of England Under-19s’ European Championship success this summer.

Chukwuemeka turned down an offer to become the highest-paid teenager in the country by Villa, effectively forcing the Midlands club to accept Chelsea’s offer.

The 18-year-old midfielder would have been able to sign for an overseas club for nothing in January, having been linked with Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund.

But Chelsea agreed to pay big money to take Chukwuemeka, who is understood to have met with head coach Thomas Tuchel, now.

Both clubs will feel they have got a good deal with Chelsea signing one of the most highly-rated youngsters in Europe and Villa securing a big fee for a youngster who was going to leave for free.

Other than attempting to make senior signings, Chelsea’s new owners have made a series of high-profile young signings with Omari Hutchinson joining from Arsenal and goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina agreeing a deal.

Chelsea have made enquiries regarding Kyle Walker-Peters but it remains to be seen whether or not they will try to meet Southampton’s valuation of the right-back.

While trying to wrap up the signing of Marc Cucurella from Brighton and pondering testing Leicester City’s resolve over Wesley Fofana with a firm bid, Chelsea are looking at a host of options to strengthen Tuchel’s squad.

Southampton are confident they will hold on to Walker-Peters, who they value in the region of £30-£35million after seeing Arsenal pay £32m to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City.

Chelsea, who have agreed personal terms with Brighton left-back Cucurella, want a right-sided defender having already signed Kalidou Koulibaly.

But Southampton’s initial valuation of Walker-Peters might be viewed on the high side by Chelsea’s owners, who have not submitted a bid for the 25-year-old and have made calls on a host of players.

Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries is a target and it has emerged that Chelsea have also held talks regarding Walker-Peters, who earned an England call-up for the friendlies against Switzerland and the Ivory Coast in March.

Head coach Thomas Tuchel wants greater cover in the wing-back areas after losing Reece James and Ben Chilwell to injuries last season, while James can also play on the right side of a back three.

Just as Cucurella will give Tuchel plenty of options and cover on the left, Dumfries or Walker-Peters would give Chelsea similar strength on the right side.

Leicester’s insistence that Fofana is not for sale has not yet put off Chelsea, who may have been encouraged by the Frenchman’s social media activity.

Fofana removed Leicester City from his Twitter biography and posted cryptic messages on Instagram that resulted in Chelsea fans believing he wants to move to Stamford Bridge.

Sources claim that Fofana has a gentleman’s agreement with Leicester that the club will listen to “fair” bids for him, although it is unclear whether or not that agreement would come into force this summer or next.

Leicester value Fofana at over £80m and are concerned they would struggle to replace him at this stage of the transfer window, but Chelsea are considering making an offer.