Who is Lesley Ugochukwu? Chelsea’s ideal Caicedo alternative
Robin Bairner
- 29 Jul 2023 21:26 BST
- 6 min read
Lesley Ugochukwu is on the verge of signing for Chelsea from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes, with reports a €30 million transfer has been agreed.
The France U19 international is a player who has been in the sights of Premier League clubs for two years now, but it appears that Chelsea will be the side to land him.
But just how good can he become – and will he make an instant impact in this Chelsea team?
What position does Lesley Ugochukwu play?
Ugochukwu is typically a defensively minded midfielder who gets through a terrific volume of work. He plays either in the heart of the midfield or in front of the defence.
He has previously played as a centre-back too, though lately he has been used exclusively in the middle areas of the field.
How good is Lesley Ugochukwu?
At 19 years old, he is a still a player who is developing, but he is doing so at an impressive rate. He already has 60 first-team appearances for Rennes having come through the same academy that produced Ousmane Dembele and Eduardo Camavinga.
He would have gained more minutes, too, had Rennes not had such a formidable midfield by Ligue 1 standards to break into.
During the 2022/23 season, he performed to a strong standard in the midfield, ranking around the top third of all Ligue 1 players in this area, according to SciSports.
His strengths are all defensive: he presses well, recovers lots of possession and positions himself well.
Everything you need to know about Chelsea target Lesley Uguchukwu in about 2 minutes 👇 pic.twitter.com/RO4TRXrTui
— Robin Bairner (@RBairner) July 29, 2023
Which players are Lesley Ugochukwu like?
Ugochukwu bears a strong resemblance in playing style to Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who have both been linked with Chelsea.
He is also similar in style to Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur and Juventus’ Manuel Locatelli.
What clubs are interested in Ugochukwu?
Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign the teenager.
Previously Arsenal and Tottenham have been linked with him.
When does Lesley Ugochukwu’s contract expire?
Ugochukwu’s deal is up on 30 June, 2025.
How old is Lesley Ugochukwu?
Lesley Ugochukwu’s birthday is 26 March, 2004. He is 19 years old.
What is Lesley Ugochukwu’s Instagram?
Lesley Ugochukwu’s Instagram can be found here. He has 29.9k followers as of July, 2023.
