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 million ($117 million).
German outlet Bild reported on Tuesday that Dortmund could make two more Premier League signings before Monday’s deadline, with Chelsea defender Aaron Anselmino and Wolves forward Fabio Silva both linked. Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, who has had two previous spells with Dortmund and recently completed a loan at Chelsea, has also been tipped for a possible return.
Earlier on Tuesday, Dortmund announced the extension of head coach Niko Kovac’s contract until 2027, ensuring stability as the club strengthens its squad for the new season.
