Monaco is closely following the performance of Ike Ugbo, a player belonging to Chelsea and currently on loan to the Cercle de Bruges.
If the Cercle de Bruges avoided relegation to the Belgian second division, it owes much to their striker Ike Ugbo. The young Englishman (22), on loan from Chelsea, has scored 16 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions.
The Belgian championship being very popular with recruiters, Ike Ugbo is very much in demand, especially since his contract with Chelsea expires in June 2022.
Which clubs are interested?
Thanks to its partnership with the Cercle de Bruges, Monaco has a purchase option of 5 million pounds sterling (nearly 6 million euros) but it is not the only club interested in the player.
Among the many contenders are Fulham, Genk, Bologna, Rostov and Sampdoria. The Italian club, coached by Claudio Ranieri, even made several offers during the winter transfer window which were systematically rejected by the Blues. Rostov had for his part offered 3 million pounds sterling (almost 4 million euros) but Chelsea did not want to let go of his player at less than 5 million pounds.
However, the Blues must reduce their squad following new FIFA-imposed rules that go into effect this summer. Indeed, from the 2021-2022 season, clubs will only be able to lend seven players over the age of 21 and then six from the 2022-2023 season (players under the age of 21 are not subject to no limitation).
This is also why Chelsea let Lucas Piazon (27) go to Braga for free last winter when he was on loan at Rio Ave.
Que vaut Ike Ugbo?
This season at the Cercle de Bruges, Ike Ugbo has scored 15 goals in 31 league appearances. This is the second in a row where he is so effective in front of goal. Last year, when he was on loan at Roda JC, he scored 13 goals in 29 matches in all competitions.
These two good seasons follow less conclusive loans to Barnsley in Championship and with MK Dons and Scunthorpe in League One.
Ike Ugbo himself admitted having struggled to make it through the matches played in the youth categories to those in the professional world: “During my first loan (at Barnsley, editor’s note), I did not manage to express my qualities. I had to adapt to a new environment and I didn’t do it fast enough. “
“Today, I show more the qualities that were mine with the under 23s (in Chelsea, editor’s note) and my potential to reach the top level. I am now at the level where I should be in relation to my progression curve ”, he specifies.
With his sixteen goals this season, Ike Ugbo is even more prolific than the Chelsea forwards (Tammy Abraham, Olivier Giroud and Timo Werner) but he does less well than Jude Soonsup-Bell, author of 17 goals with the reserve team of the Blues .
Translation and adaptation by Xavier Béal
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