Chelsea’s bottom-half end within the Premier League might imply Todd Boehly splashes the money once more this summer season within the hope that he can get the Blues again into the Champions League.
There isn’t a doubt that participant gross sales might be crucial if he’s going to maintain the bloated squad at Stamford Bridge comfortable, however that hasn’t stopped him from reportedly taking a look at quite a few new choices forward of the upcoming switch window.
One man who has been linked with a transfer to Chelsea is Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte following his spectacular performances in Ruben Amorim’s facet this marketing campaign.
May Chelsea signal Ugarte?
In keeping with switch specialist Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are very a lot in “the race” to signal the Uruguay worldwide this summer season, though PSG are additionally displaying numerous curiosity.
Ugarte has a €60m (£53m) launch clause in his contract on the José Alvalade Stadium, which might symbolize one thing of a cut price contemplating the extreme sums Boehly has spent on far-less-established gamers in his Chelsea tenure.
Would Ugarte be a superb signing?
This season has seen the 22-year-old make 31 appearances in Portugal’s prime flight, during which he has averaged an excellent 7.11 score from WhoScored, regardless of not contributing any targets or assists.
Ugarte may be very a lot a defensive-minded midfielder, averaging an outstanding 3.9 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per sport – each of that are unmatched tallies within the Chelsea squad.
FBref additionally backs up his means as an all-rounder in comparison with midfielders enjoying at the same stage, rating him within the prime 1% for cross completion and tackles accomplished per 90, whereas he additionally ranks within the prime 3% of midfielders for interceptions per sport.
Earlier within the marketing campaign, when Ugarte ranked prime for tackles and duels gained within the Champions League, soccer expertise scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him a “midfield machine“, which definitely means that he has the bodily attributes required to be successful within the Premier League.
N’Golo Kante‘s future at Chelsea remains to be up within the air, because the Frenchman’s deal is because of expire in the summertime following a season which has been suffering from accidents. With this in thoughts, Ugarte may very well be a dream substitute at Stamford Bridge.
Kante has cultivated a status as the most effective ball-winners in Europe throughout his time with Leicester Metropolis and Chelsea, however at 32, it appears as if the accidents are catching up with him, as he has mustered simply seven Premier League appearances to this point this time period.
Due to this fact, Boehly ought to undoubtedly act quick on Chelsea’s curiosity in Ugarte, as at 22, he may very well be an excellent long-term inheritor to Kante for the west London facet.
