Chelsea is closing in on the signing of 19-year-old defensive midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu after agreeing on personal terms. He is expected to undergo a medical within the next 24 hours. The transfer fee with Rennes is yet to be finalized but is likely to start at £23.5 million, potentially rising to £25.7 million with add-ons.
Ugochukwu has already made 60 senior appearances for Rennes and played a significant role in their fourth-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.
This signing comes as a positive development for Chelsea’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino, as he needed additional midfielders following several departures during the summer.
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As of now, there is no official confirmation that Chelsea has sold Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Kai Havertz during this transfer window. However, there have been rumors and speculation surrounding their potential departures.
Regarding Conor Gallagher, Chelsea rejected a £40 million bid from West Ham and Pochettino has stated that the player is part of his plans.
As for Lesley Ugochukwu, it remains uncertain whether he will be part of the first-team this season. Reports suggest that he might be loaned to Strasbourg, a club recently acquired by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Moises Caicedo has faced challenges, as their £80 million bid was rejected by Brighton, who are seeking over £100 million for the player.
It’s important to note that transfer news is constantly evolving, and official announcements from the clubs involved are the most reliable sources of information.