Carney Chukwuemeka leaves Chelsea on loan | OneFootball

Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka has joined Borussia Dortmund on loan, completing the 2025/26 campaign in the Bundesliga as he looks to get his career back on track.

Chukwuemeka had been priced at a reported £40m earlier in the transfer window, with Chelsea ideally looking for a permanent sale. But the loan agreement with Dortmund includes an option to buy at the end of the season, with some reports suggesting the fee could be set slightly higher than his release clause.

"It is very exciting for me and I am truly honoured to be part of this great club," Chukwuemeka told club media. "I can't wait to play in front of the fans at Signal Iduna Park and help us all to be successful together."

The 21-year-old England junior international was recruited by Chelsea in 2022 as part of the club's strategy to mop up as much young talent as possible. He made 15 appearances in his debut campaign whilst still a teenager, but missed much of last season through injury.

There has been no fresh start since returning to fitness, regularly overlooked by manager Enzo Maresca and failing to even make the bench in the Premier League, relying on the Conference League for all but one of his five appearances so far this season.

Dortmund are no stranger to recruiting emerging English talents. Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham are the most prominent examples, with the former returning to the club on loan last season.

Current star Jamie Gittens also made the move from Manchester City's academy at 16 in 2020. The 20-year-old is Dortmund's second top scorer across all competitions, with 11 goals to his name.