{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Scouting expert: Carney Chukwuemeka should avoid loan and stay at Chelsea this season
We’re delighted to welcome Football Manager’s Wolves researcher Dave Azzopardi as our exclusive columnist. Each week the scouting expert will be giving his views on the biggest talking points on Wonderkids across the UK…
Carney Chukwuemeka should consider staying at Chelsea for the rest of the season instead of leaving on loan in January, says Dave Azzopardi.
The England youth international made the move to London during the summer window after refusing a new deal at Aston Villa, with Todd Boehly paying around £20m to get his signature.
With Graham Potter taking a liking to the 19-year-old he has made some substitute appearances in the Premier League, but there has been talk he could go on loan in January for more regular action, something Azzopardi feels isn’t necessarily best for him right now.
“I think obviously at the back end of last season it was a really brave decision from him, because he was really highly rated at Villa,” he told The Football Wonderkids.
“Sometimes those sort of decisions can backfire for a young player but he done really well to get that move to Chelsea.
Subscribe to Football Insider TV now
“It’s a difficult decision really. He’s at the point in his career where he needs to be playing a lot of first-team football, but I’d probably wait around at Chelsea until the end of the season.
“He’s still getting cameo performances under Graham Potter, so stay there for another half season, take advantage of playing with top quality players, top quality facilities, and then review the situation in the summer.
“If you get a full pre-season at another club then, if that’s the route he chooses to go down, then that would be much better for him and his development than if he were to go to another club, getting chucked straight into the first-team might be more difficult for him as a young player.
“I’d stick around at Chelsea until the end of the season at least, see what’s available, see what the situation is and if he knows he can get a team where he’s going to be starting 30+ games next season at a top level, whether that be in England or abroad.
“We’ve seen some top English players do well in Italy and Germany, so I think that’s a decision to make in the summer.”
In other Chelsea news, Armando Broja could become regular Chelsea starter under Graham Potter