Southampton Football Club has completed the signing of highly-rated French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu from Chelsea on a season-long loan deal.
The 20-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge from Rennes for a significant fee last summer and made 15 appearances in his first season, including 12 in the Premier League.
A graduate of the highly-respected Rennes Academy, Ugochukwu made his debut shortly after celebrating his 17th birthday, in 2021, and played 60 games in total for the first team.
A current Under-21 international, he also played twice for France’s Olympic team in the lead up to the summer Games in Paris.
”I feel very happy. Southampton has a great history” he said after signing the deal.
Standing at 6ft 3in tall, Ugochukwu is an impressive athlete who specialises in winning the ball back for his team.
On joining Southampton, he said: “I feel very happy. Southampton has a great history. A lot of great players came over here and played for Southampton, so I’m very happy to be part of the team now.
“It was a very easy decision. They just came back to Premier League. When I heard Southampton, when I spoke to the gaffer as well, I said, ‘I have to come here.’
“I’m just here to work hard and give everything for the fans and for myself as well.”
Russell Martin spoke after the player’s capture: “Lesley is a brilliant athlete who has all the ingredients to be a really top player in the future, and we want to help him achieve that. He combines his size and power with real composure in possession.
“He’s another young player we’ve brought in who has sampled the Premier League already, which is important, and someone we feel can help us in the midfield area with the physicality that he brings to the game.”
