Esther Imonmion
Borussia Dortmund have signed England youth international Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea on a five-year contract.
The 21-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at the German club and joins in a deal that could be worth about £24m.
The attacking midfielder made 32 appearances for Chelsea after a £20m move from Aston Villa in 2022.
Blues defender Aaron Anselmino has also agreed to join Dortmund, on a season-long loan, and has flown to Germany to complete the deal.
The Chukwuemeka transfer means Chelsea’s income from player sales this summer is more than £270m, almost balancing out the £277m spent on incoming transfers.
European football’s governing body UEFA has told the Blues they must record a positive transfer balance this window in order to be allowed to register their new signings for this season’s Champions League.
It follows them having been fined £26.7m for a breach of UEFA’s football earning rules and having had a squad cost ratio – the proportion of their income paid out in wages – above 80%.
A number of other players have been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge before Monday’s transfer deadline, including forwards Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Tyrique George, winger Raheem Sterling and defender Ben Chilwell.
Chelsea could also bring more players in, with Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons among those linked.