This young player has yet to reach his full potential but has chosen Chelsea
Super Eagles midfielder Leslie Ugochukwu has revealed that he chose Chelsea because of the appeal of playing for a big club, Soccer reported.
The 19-year-old defensive midfielder burst onto the scene at Ligue 1 side Rennes two years ago, shortly after Eduardo Camavinga moved to Real Madrid. Still, he was not a regular starter for the club, with him making 53 appearances in all competitions for the club as of 2021.
Since Todd Boley became Chelsea’s new owner, the club has signed a number of players. The one thing these new players have in common is their young age.
Ugochukwu was one of this summer’s new signings, with Chelsea paying just over €27 million to Rennes to secure his role.
For an unestablished and inexperienced 19-year-old, a safe option would have been to remain at Rennes to get playing time, develop and develop.
However, Ugochukwu chose to move to Chelsea, where he would have less playing time and more pressure. The youngster shed light on his decision and admitted that the appeal of playing for a big club was what led him to accept a contract with Chelsea.
“It’s Chelsea! Just look at all the trophies they won and the legends who played there,” Ugochukwu told l’equipe via GFFN
“When you have a club of this size competing with you, it’s very difficult to say no.”
“This is the beginning of a new cycle with new players and new ambitions. I was fascinated by what they want to do and what they see in me.
“In terms of my ambitions, I think it was perfect to quit then. They say that if you work hard and everything goes well, you can become a great midfielder. Long term. It’s up to me to prove that I can secure a place in.”
Ugochukwu faces stiff competition at Chelsea, with Caicedo and Romeo Lavia ahead of him in the top order. This season he has played just seven minutes in the Premier League.
The 19-year-old midfielder was born in France to Nigerian parents and currently plays for the French youth team. However, he could still super-transfer to his Eagles.
