It was clear that Chelsea would get rid of some strikers after making a huge signing this summer, but Olivier Giroud, Tammy Abraham and now Ike Ugbo have all been shown the door.
That suggests that Timo Werner is now the undisputed backup to Romelu Lukaku, while Ugbo always looked like a talented player but he was never going to get a proper chance to prove himself at Stamford Bridge.
He’s been in the Chelsea setup since 2007 so it would’ve been a great story if he did become a first-team player, but he’s been out on loan five times so it was the right moment to move on this summer.
Belgian side Genk have now confirmed his signing, and it’s a return to the Belgian league for the striker after he scored 16 times last season for Cercle Brugge so it should be a great move for him:
Iké is een Genkie! ?#krcgenk #mijnploeg pic.twitter.com/GgMw9IRGj6
— KRC Genk (@KRCGenkofficial) August 24, 2021
Chelsea academy graduate Ike Ugbo joins Genk.
He has been brilliant in his last two loans and the deal could reach €7.5m if all add-ons are met. Initial fee is €3.5m. The Blues also have a 20% sell-on clause in the deal. #CFC pic.twitter.com/cwkrQOqbDS
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) August 24, 2021
The actual fee seems fair based on his potential and how he’s done in the past, while Genk are famous for developing players and selling them on so that 20% sell-on clause should also benefit Chelsea in the future too.