Chelsea have reportedly agreed to sign Manuel Ugarte from Sporting CP in a €60 million-plus-€5 million deal this summer.
Chelsea will pay around €60 million for Manuel Ugarte according to a report from the Portuguese publication Record. In addition, the deal will also include €5 million in bonuses to seal the agreement with Sporting CP.
Ugarte has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs recently. But it seems that Chelsea have now won the race for his signature. The Blues needed to bring in a quality defensive midfielder, and the 22-year-old should prove to be a superb long-term investment for them.
The Sporting CP midfield dynamo has all the attributes to develop into a world-class midfielder. And he should prove to be the ideal partner for Enzo Fernandez at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield. Ugarte’s arrival will allow the Argentine midfielder to play with more freedom and dominate the midfield with his playmaking abilities.
Meanwhile, the youngster is exceptional when it comes to breaking up the opposition’s play and he will help win the ball back for his side. He is also adept at setting up counter-attacking opportunities for his side and will add physicality and drive to the midfield as well.
The Uruguayan international seems an ideal fit for Mauricio Pochettino’s high-intensity football, and he has the physical attributes to thrive in English football as well. Still only 22, he is likely to improve further with coaching and experience.
Pochettino has a proven track record of improving young players, and he could help the midfielder develop into a top-class player for Chelsea in the coming seasons. While the €60 million fee looks expensive right now, Ugarte has all the talent to justify the investment in the long run.
Meanwhile, the report claims that the player will earn around €3.5 million per season at Stamford Bridge, which is extremely reasonable in today’s market. The Blues are expected to lose players like Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante this summer. They need to bring in multiple reinforcements in the middle of the park. And it will be interesting to see if they can sign another midfielder after the arrival of Manuel Ugarte.
