Enzo Maresca has already explained new Josh Acheampong Chelsea stance amid Reece James injury

Josh Acheampong trained with the Chelsea first-team this week in the absence of Reece James but appears no nearer to playing under head coach Enzo Maresca.

Acheampong, 18, had been away from the senior set-up for a month before this surprise return. football.london understands the club retaliated against the academy defender after the player's camp backtracked on signing a new long-term contract.

The teenager's current terms, a three-year deal (the maximum length professional contract players under 18 can sign) that started in January this year, expires in just over 12 months. Acheampong has not played for the club since the end of September, last featuring as a second-half substitute in the League Cup third round tie against Barrow.

That was his first appearance under Maresca. The versatile right-sided defender had previously been an unused substitute for the second leg of Chelsea's Europa Conference League play-off round qualifier with the Swiss side Servette.

However, despite training with the team this week, Maresca confirmed Acheampong would not be involved in their latest Conference League match against Heidenheim in Germany. "He had a session with us in the last two days with some of the young players," the Chelsea coach said at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

"He is not in the squad for tomorrow, and we have four or five from the second team with us. He has just been training with us for the last two days."

Maresca also acknowledged: "There is not any update in terms of contract or these kind of things." Before later reiterating when asked if anything had changed with Acheampong: "No, nothing."

His absence has also extended to the club's academy squads. After being an unused substitute for the under-21s in the Premier League 2 match against West Ham United in late September, the player has not featured for Filipe Coelho's team again after starting their first three games this season.

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