England set to lose ex-Chelsea wonderkid to rival nation before 2026 World Cup

An aerial view of Wembley Stadium
A youngster once described as "the best 16-year-old in England" may switch nationalities (Image credit: Alamy)

Austria are working to convince a highly-rated English youngster to switch his national allegiance prior to the World Cup.

The 22-year-old former England wonderkid, who has featured at various youth levels for the Young Lions, is also eligible to represent Nigeria, France and Austria.

Austria attempt to persuade ex-Chelsea star to switch national allegiance

DORTMUND, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 1: Carney Chukwuemeka of Borussia Dortmund BVB plays the ball during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 at Signal Iduna Park on February 1, 2026 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Jürgen Fromme - firo sportphoto/Getty Images)

Borussia Dortmund's Carney Chukwuemeka (Image credit: Getty Images)

Carney Chukwuemeka has started in eight games for Borussia Dortmund this season and registered two goals, including a 95th minute equaliser against Frankfurt last month.

The 22-year-old played for Aston Villa and Chelsea between 2016 and 2024, notably scoring a 92nd minute winner in the latter's FA Cup quarter-final clash against Leicester shortly before his loan move to Borussia Dortmund.

Manchester United SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - JULY 27: Carney Chukwuemeka of Chelsea watches on during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Chelsea FC and Celtic at Notre Dame Stadium on July 27, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

The ex-Chelsea man scored a 92nd minute FA Cup quarter-final winner (Image credit: Getty Images)

Chukwuemeka first moved to Austria’s neighbouring country Germany in 2025 before signing permanently to Borussia Dortmund in August of last year for a fee of £17.5 million.

The youngster, who starts predominantly on the left wing for the German club, is allowed per FIFA rules to switch nationalities as he has never made a senior appearance for England.

The 22-year-old was born in Austria but lived in England for most of his life following his family's move to Northampton.

Chukwuemeka, who has featured in 26 games for Borussia Dortmund this season, was the subject of similar reports in 2023 that claimed Austria were attempting to persuade the youngster to switch his national allegiance.

Austria, led by ex-Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick, are in a group with Jordan, Algeria and Argentina in the upcoming World Cup, with a reasonable chance of progression to the knockouts.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy is seen on stage at the Kennedy Center ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw on December 03, 2025 in Washington, DC.

The World Cup is the biggest stage of all (Image credit: Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The winger was once described by former Aston Villa CEO Christian Purslow as "probably the best 16-year-old in England".

Purslow also told Aston Villa fans in 2022 that he "tried [his] damnedest" to keep hold of the youngster prior to his move to Chelsea.

Chukwuemeka may feature in Borussia Dortmund's return to Bundesliga against Mainz on Friday evening.

Kedar Bayley
Freelance Writer

Kedar Bayley is a trained journalist specialising in culture reporting. As a fan of Liverpool FC, he writes on the Reds often. Knowledgable about all things sports, cinema and television, you can find his words in Screen International, FourFourTwo, Manchester Evening News and more.

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