Burnley have reportedly reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign midfielder, Lesley Ugochukwu and, the 21-year-old has been granted permission to travel for medical tests and complete a permanent move to Turf Moor.
The Frenchman joined the Blues in 2023 and impressed in his limited appearances, but struggled to crack the club’s established midfield. He spent last season on loan at Southampton, making 26 League appearances as the Saints were relegated.
Ugochukwu is set to sign a four-year deal and will follow Armando Broja in making the same move. Softfootball understands that Chelsea rejected several loan offers for Lesley Ugochukwu last summer from the likes of Rennes, Premier League clubs and La Liga side Valencia.
Now, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, via his X handle has reported further outgoings at Chelsea as the club continues to streamline its squad. Following Armando Broja’s move, Lesley Ugochukwu is also set to leave Stamford Bridge, sealing a permanent transfer to Burnley.
Ugochukwu has given the green light to the deal, as confirmed by David Ornstein. With agreements finalized for both Broja and Ugochukwu, Chelsea are accelerating their player sales, clearing the path for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s imminent switch to Everton.
The tweet reads:
“After Armando Broja, Lesley Ugochukwu also leaves Chelsea and joins Burnley on permanent deal.
“Ugochukwu has also accepted, as @David_Ornstein reports.
“Agreement done for both players with Chelsea going fast on outgoings… and Dewsbury-Hall to Everton, next”
Alongside Lesley Ugochukwu, Chelsea are also looking for buyers for Christopher Nkunku and Raheem Sterling, while young winger Tyrique George is allowed to leave on loan alongside Marc Guiu, who is expected to spend next season on loan with Sunderland.
If Ugochukwu’s transfer to Burnley goes through as expected, the former Rennes man will finish his Chelsea career having made just 15 appearances for the club.
While injuries did not help him when he first joined the Club World Cup winners, he was up against Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez for a spot in the Chelsea team.
Simply put, Ugochukwu was always going to find it difficult to become a regular starter at Stamford Bridge. With that in mind, then, a permanent move to Burnley could be good for the player and his development.
