Chelsea have completed the signing of Lesley Ugochukwu from Rennes on a permanent deal. The West London club will pay around €27-28 million for the midfielder, after showing impressive potential during his time so far in Ligue 1.

The 2004-born midfielder will soon make the move to London, and his future will be decided after a discussion with Mauricio Pochettino. He has agreed a long-term contract with the club, and is expected to be a part of their project consisting of mostly young players.

Lesley Ugochukwu signs for Chelsea from Rennes

Medical tests have already been booked for the youngster, and the move should be made official in the coming week. There is a possibility that he could be sent out on loan to Ligue 1 club Strasbourg, which is also owned by Chelsea owners BlueCo.

Interestingly, Lesley Ugochukwu has a very similar profile to Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, who is a target not only for the Blues but also Liverpool. And by signing a similar young defensive midfielder like Ugochukwu, the West Londoners have earned themselves a bargain in comparison to the £50 million demanded for Lavia.

While Ugochukwu is a defensive midfielder in his own right and could help the club replace N’Golo Kante, they remain in the race to sign Moises Caicedo. Their recent €93 million offer was rejected, but they are expected to return with another offer.