Championship outfit Middlesbrough are reportedly preparing to make a move to sign Chelsea midfielder Ethan Ampadu on a loan deal.
According to a report from Football Insider, Middlesbrough are set to make a move to sign Chelsea utility man Ethan Ampadu on loan as Chris Wilder looks to add a defensive-minded signing to his squad before the summer transfer window shuts.
Ampadu started his career at Exeter City before joining Chelsea in 2016. Despite showing promise and versatility, the Welsh international has only featured once in the Premier League for the Blues’ senior side. Instead, the 21-year-old utility man has spent most of his time out on loan, as part of their very vast loan army.
Ampadu has previously played for RB Leipzig and Sheffield United and has returned to Stamford Bridge off the back of enjoying an impressive loan stint in Italy’s top flight with Venezia, despite suffering relegation for the second successive season with a team.
Having missed the first three league games with the squad due to a late transfer, he quickly became a vital cog in the first team, featuring in 29 of the remaining 33 Serie A games, starting 26 and only missing four due to suspensions. Ampadu showed maturity and experience beyond his tender years but could not prevent Venezia from going down to the second tier at the first time of asking.
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup just on the horizon, the Wales international will need regular game time to stay sharp for the prestigious tournament. As such, the 21-year-old has already got offers on the table to leave Chelsea on loan this summer. It is believed Ampadu has several proposals to return to Serie A, with clubs such as Cremonese, Empoli, Spezia, and Sampdoria interested in his services.
Now, Championship outfit Middlesbrough have made an enquiry about the Chelsea youngster and have been told that Chelsea are prepared to loan Ampadu out this summer. Boro boss Chris Wilder managed the versatile defender during his time at Bramall Lane in the 2020/21 season, and Football Insider reports that Wilder is keen on having the Chelsea midfielder at his disposal again.
Following the recent arrival of Matt Clarke, the Teesside outfit have completed ten new signings for the summer. But despite that, Wilder currently finds his side languishing in 23rd place in the Championship table after the opening five games of the season.
Wilder is on the lookout for two more additions, with another midfielder required. Ampadu is a versatile youngster that can perform well as either a centre-back or defensive midfielder. The Chelsea utility man has even shown further flexibility by playing wing-back if required. So, he fits the bill perfectly.
However, having impressed with his performances in Serie A, a move to a struggling Championship side would feel like a step backward in his burgeoning career. Nonetheless, Ampadu is a steely grafter with excellent technical ability. And the Chelsea academy product would be a huge coup for Middlesbrough in an ideal scenario because he is likely to stand out at that level.
