Chelsea agree to sign £23.5M-rated Rennes teenager
By Abdul Abdullahi
According to L’Équipe and The Athletic, Chelsea were in talks with Stade Rennais to secure the signing of 19-year-old, Lesley Ugochukwu, and finally agreed on a deal worth £23.5M. A medical is scheduled to take place in the next 24 hours.
CFC has reached an agreement on personal terms with Ugochukwu and is set to sign a long-term contract with the west London club, despite Premier League rivals West Ham also showing interest. His immediate role within the team, whether joining the first-team squad or going on loan, is yet to be decided.
At the young age of 17, Ugochukwu had his debut for his beloved boyhood club, coming on as a substitute to replace Steven Nzonzi in the French top flight. This marked the beginning of his journey as one of the club’s promising star talents.
The French midfielder, who has earned under-18 and under-19 caps, is considered one of the future stars and is featured on the 2023 Golden Boy Index. Ugochukwu has been with Rennes since 2012, progressing through their youth ranks, and he made his senior debut for the club in April 2021. Last season, Ugochukwu featured in 35 senior matches across all competitions for Rennes, with seven of those appearances taking place in the Europa League competition.
The report suggests that the 19-year-old talent, who has played 60 first-team games for Rennes since coming through their academy system, may be seeking a move away. Chelsea has been engaged in discussions this month regarding the signing of the young midfielder.
Chelsea has been engaged in discussions for approximately 10 days to sign the midfielder, who is under contract with the Ligue 1 club until the summer of 2025. The club aims to reinforce its midfield due to several departures in that position, including Jorginho in January, and more recently, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek during the current transfer window. Chelsea needs to add both depth and quality to their midfield. Additionally, they are actively pursuing the arrival of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo, but negotiations are proving to be challenging.
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Chelsea’s interest in Ugochukwu comes at a time when Mauricio Pochettino is also seeking midfield reinforcements for the upcoming season. However, there are reports suggesting that Rennes is considering Strasbourg as an option for their talented midfielder, where he could potentially go on loan for the next season if a transfer is finalized.