Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign France U-19 international and Rennes midfielder Lesly Ugochukwu in a deal worth €27.5 million.
The 19-year-old was born in France to Nigerian parents. He and the club have also reached a personal agreement, and he will get a checkup soon.
In 2021, he made his Rennes debut. He made 35 appearances for the team last year as they finished fourth in Ligue 1.
He started 20 games for Rennes in the 2022–23 league season and recorded 28 successful tackles, 29 successful interceptions, and 31 successful blocks. Additionally, he won 15 takedowns.
With Chelsea’s third bid of £80 million rejected by Brighton for midfielder Moises Caicedo, it’s unclear if Ugochukwu will stay at the club or go on loan.
He will join other youngsters like Angelo Gabriel, Alex Matos, and Diego Moreira, who joined earlier in the summer.