Chelsea are keen on signing Manuel Ugarte from Sporting CP at the end of the season.
A report from Football Insider claims that Chelsea have been scouting the midfielder regularly and they could look to make a move in the coming weeks.
The 22-year-old defensive midfielder has a £53 million release clause in this contract and Chelsea certainly have the financial resources to pay up.
The Blues have spent around €600 million on new signings since the change of ownership and they will look to improve the squad further during the summer transfer window. It has been a disappointing season for Chelsea and they find themselves in the bottom half of the table.
Chelsea will be hoping to compete for the league title next year and they need to plug certain gaps in the squad in order to compete with clubs like Manchester City.
Signing a quality defensive midfielder should be a top priority for them. Ugarte could be the ideal long-term partner for Enzo Fernandes at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield.
Chelsea midfielders Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Mateo Kovačić have all been linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and the Blues must look to bring in more depth in the middle of the park.
Ugarte has proven his quality against clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in european competitions this season and he has the ability to shine in the Premier League as well.
A move to Chelsea would be the ideal next step in his career and it could help him improve as a player over the coming years.
Chelsea star N’Golo Kante will be out of contract this summer and the Blues will have to replace him with a quality defensive midfielder. The 22-year-old Uruguayan midfielder certainly fits the profile and he could be the ideal long-term replacement for the club legend.