Chelsea set to sign Ruben Amorim’s former Sporting Lisbon player
The Blues are confident of agreeing a deal.
Chelsea are closing in on a deal for one of Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim’s former Sporting Lisbon players.
Amorim gave highly-rated Portuguese midfielder Dario Essugo his professional debut back in 2020, bringing him on in the Primeira Liga just few days after his 16th birthday.
Essugo had not even featured for Sporting’s U23 or reserve team when he made his first-team debut and became the youngest-ever debutant in the club’s history.
The records kept on coming for Essugo, who became the youngest Portuguese player to play in the Champions League when he featured against Ajax at the end of 2021.
A few months later Essugo also surpassed Portugal icon Luis Figo as Sporting Lisbon’s youngest starter.
Despite his record-breaking feats, Essugo’s development over the past few years has been gradual, with the 19-year-old only making 23 appearances for Sporting Lisbon.
In the pursuit of more regular game-time, Essugo joined fellow Portuguese club Chaves in January 2024 – playing 14 games for the relegated side – and Las Palmas at the start of this season.
Essugo has impressed his onlookers during his second loan spell and emerged as a target for Premier League giants Chelsea.
The Blues considered a January move for Essugo and while that failed to materialise, The Sun say they are now closing in on a deal to bring the teenager to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
The only issue is convincing Essugo that he will get the chance to make it at Chelsea despite the abundance of talent and expensive players in Enzo Maresca’s squad.
Essugo made two appearances for Amorim’s Sporting Lisbon at the start of the season before both left the Portuguese giants, the player on a loan move and the manager to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
Chelsea endured a subdued January transfer window – only bringing in teenage midfielder Mathis Amougou from St Etienne.
Joao Felix, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Cesare Casadei and Carney Chukwuemeka were all allowed to leave west London.
Despite the lack of January additions, Maresca said he was happy with how the winter window panned out ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup clash against Brighton on Saturday evening.
‘I said after the West Ham game that the things that we planned in terms of players that had the desire to leave and the players that we need,’ the Blues boss said.
‘In the end, I think we did all of the things we needed. Before the last game, we had two strikers, Nico and Marc.
‘Sometimes we adapt also Christo [Nkunku] there, but in case both of them are out, we are going to find a different solution.’
Amorim was expected to raid Sporting Lisbon for several of his former stars after taking over at Manchester United but is yet to turn to his ex-club for additions.
He is, however, expected to sanction a huge summer move for Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has scored a remarkable 77 goals in 84 appearances since joining the club in 2023.
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