Chelsea are now closing in on a deal to sign Manuel Ugarte from Sporting CP.
A report from the Portuguese publication Record claims that the player has decided to move to the Premier League despite interest from Paris Saint-Germain. It seems that the player has chosen the project at Stamford Bridge over the French outfit.
Chelsea will reportedly pay a fee of around €60 million excluding bonuses. The midfielder will earn €3.5 million per season at Stamford Bridge. The two clubs have been locked in intense negotiations over the last two weeks and the move is now close to completion.
Ugarte has been a key player for the Portuguese club and he has shown his quality against Premier League opposition in European competitions. He could prove to be the ideal acquisition for Chelsea in the midfield.
The Blues spent a club-record fee on Enzo Fernandez during the January transfer window and they need to bring in a quality partner for him. The 22-year-old Uruguayan midfielder certainly fits the profile and his arrival will allow the Argentine international to operate with more freedom and play his natural game.
Ugarte is an excellent defensive midfielder who will help protect the central defenders and break up the opposition’s play.
Chelsea are in desperate need of someone like him and he should prove to be a quality acquisition for the Blues. The Blues are set to lose N’Golo Kante when his contract expires in the coming weeks and Ugarte could be the ideal long-term replacement for the French international.
I think this deal can make us “the blues” better if it can materialize.