Chelsea on brink of transfer deal with Prem rivals for highly-rated youngster

Chelsea are reportedly close to agreeing a deal with Southampton that would see highly-rated midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu join on loan.

Ugochukwu arrived at Chelsea last summer after completing a £23.5million move from Stade Rennes.

Having featured sporadically in the first half of the 2023/24 campaign, Ugochukwu’s season was rocked when he picked up a hamstring injury that ruled him out from early December all the way through to mid-May.

But having got himself fit, Ugochukwu is set to join Premier League newbies Southampton on a temporary deal, as per The Athletic.

It’s claimed that the Blues hierarchy are fans of Saints boss Russel Martin and believe the talented coach will be able to help Ugochukwu on the next step of his development.

There had been suggestions Ugochukwu might make up part of Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad, given how prominently he featured in Chelsea’s pre-season.

Ugochukwu played in all but one of Chelsea’s six pre-season friendlies, even popping up with two goals, including the equaliser against Inter Milan at the weekend.

It’s part of the reason Chelsea are so keen to avoid a permanent sale, with the report stating they’d shrugged off interest in a sale from elsewhere.

The Rennes-born star is said to be part of Chelsea’s long-term transfer plans, with those behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge believing he has similar qualities to Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni.

It comes amid a period of turbulence at the capital club, with plenty of business still to be conducted before this month’s transfer deadline.

Maresca touched on that in the aftermath of Sunday’s pre-season draw with Inter, stating: “I don’t know my team yet. Pre-season has been very tough, intense, many games going from one city to another city.

“Now finally we start a normal week. Tomorrow we are off and then we start to prepare the game.”

There’s unlikely to be any easing into the job for Maresca, given his opening league game as Chelsea boss comes against reigning champions Manchester City.

Maresca spent the 2022/23 season working under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium outfit, and the Italian was also credited with helping City to the Treble.

On his former assistant, Guardiola said in pre-season: “‘Let me say this, I see what Enzo wants to do and I like it. And I don’t just say that because he’s my friend.”

The pair will square off in their Premier League opener at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.