Maresca may get dream Chelsea scenario after £50m Everton transfer agreement

Lesley Ugochukwu will be praying that the 2024/25 season goes his way after the start of his Chelsea career was blighted by injury. Following in the footsteps of players such as Ousmane Dembele and Eduardo Camavinga by coming through Rennes’ academy to star in the first team, the midfielder departed Roazhon Park last August in a big-money move.

Joining Chelsea for a fee of £23.2million and penning a seven-year contract in SW6 in the process, it was always going to be tough for the youngster to feature regularly for his new club with players such as Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher and Romeo Lavia ahead of him in the midfield pecking order. Ugochukwu would be restricted to just 15 appearances for the Blues in all competitions, but it was not his fellow competitors who limited his first-team opportunities, though.

Instead, it was injury that wreaked havoc on his season as a hamstring issue sidelined him from December to early May. The 20-year-old did manage to return to the Chelsea squad with three games of the season remaining, duly coming on in the last two fixtures against Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth.

At least managing to finish his campaign on a positive note following so much time spent in the treatment room, the Frenchman will be hoping that luck is on his side this time around as he bids to make his name in England. Set to face fierce competition for a place in the Chelsea XI once again, Ugochukwu could potentially be in line for a Stamford Bridge departure this summer with a loan move possibly on the cards.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Chelsea are looking at sending the highly-rated midfielder out on loan next season and it appears that they are not going to be short on offers for their player. Foot Mercato report that Everton are one of three Premier League teams keen on striking a loan deal for Ugochukwu, with one Ligue 1 side also interested in the starlet.

A temporary switch to Goodison Park is one that could benefit all parties, especially with Sean Dyche’s side going to be in need of adding to their midfield with Amadou Onana heading for the Goodison Park exit door. Aston Villa are in advanced talks to sign the Belgian international, who was previously linked with Arsenal, for a fee in the region of £50million.

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The Toffees have already bolstered their midfield this summer with the signing of Tim Iroegbunam from Villa but the likely exit of Onana would result in them needing to add to their squad once again. Following two separate points deductions last season for financial breaches, Everton are now moving smartly in the transfer market and the addition of Ugochukwu on loan would certainly fit the bill for them.

After all, the Rennes academy product can take Onana’s place in the Everton squad as he is capable of playing in a holding midfield role and as a central midfielder. Ugochukwu also possesses the height and power that would appeal to Dyche, which in turn could lead to plenty of first-team appearances and a very beneficial loan spell that would assist all parties concerned.

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Whether or not the France Under-21 international heads to Goodison Park or elsewhere remains to be seen. That will all become clear over the coming weeks as Enzo Maresca and Chelsea get their plans in place for the upcoming campaign.

Following a very frustrating first year in west London, the 2024/25 campaign could be when Ugochukwu demonstrates to all why Chelsea were so intent on bringing him to the club in the first place.