English Premier League club Burnley has reportedly reached an agreement with Chelsea to recruit French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu on a season-long loan with a buyout option.
After leaving France to join Chelsea from Rennes last summer for almost £23.5 million, the 20-year-old has had difficulty getting regular playing time at Stamford Bridge.
Ugochukwu is seen as a dynamic addition to Burnley’s midfield as they rebuild under a new structure after being relegated from the Premier League and aim for instant promotion.
Depending on performance-related provisions, the loan agreement contains the option to make the move permanent, reportedly for a cost of around £20 million.
Ugochukwu played for Chelsea only a few times last season and spent most of the time recovering from injuries. He will have consistent playing time and the opportunity to rekindle his growth in a competitive setting if he moves to Burnley.
This summer, Ugochukwu has been deemed surplus to requirements as Chelsea looks to offload several players from their so-called “bomb squad,” which includes England internationals Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell and trains apart from Enzo Maresca’s starting lineup.
