Chelsea have reached a verbal agreement with Stade Rennes on the transfer of Lesley Ugochukwu, reports The Athletic. The nineteen-year-old midfielder has to come over from France for 27.5 million euros and will sign a long-term contract in London. There is added the Blues whether the Frenchman will be loaned to RC Strasbourg, where Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is also in charge.
With the imminent arrival of Ugochukwu, Chelsea seem to have found a possible alternative to Moisés Caicedo. A bid worth 93 million euros for the Ecuadorian was decisively swept aside by Brighton & Hove Albion, so that transfer is still far from certain. Now the number twelve of last Premier League season is switching on, although his possible rental to Strasbourg makes it questionable whether Ugochukwu is really seen as a Caicedo alternative.
Chelsea are still looking for midfield reinforcements as Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante all left the club. In addition to Ugochukwu, Chelsea therefore also joined the battle for Roméo Lavia, just like Liverpool. The nineteen-year-old Belgian made a big impression last season at relegated Southampton, which was rewarded with interest from the English top.
On behalf of Rennes, Ugochukwu played 35 games last season, in which he was good for an assist. It is therefore still uncertain whether the Frenchman will be brought in to strengthen the first team, or whether he will immediately be rented out again to Boehly’s Strasbourg. With the arrival of compatriot Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Diego Moreira and Ângelo Gabriel, Ugochukwu would be the fifth reinforcement for the West Londoners.