Revealed: £40m Chelsea duo to stay until January as loan deals blocked – sources
Chelsea summer signings Lesley Ugochukwu and Deivid Washington will remain a part of the senior squad until the January transfer window, sources have told Football Insider.
That is despite an expectation of them being loaned elsewhere before transfer windows shut around the world.
Windows across Europe have now concluded – with the deadline in Turkey, the last potential high-profile destination for Ugochukwu and Washington, set for 15 September.
But the duo – who cost a combined fee of around £40million this summer – will not play Super Lig football in the 2023-24 campaign and instead will remain part of the squad at Stamford Bridge.
Mauricio Pochettino has almost 30 senior players at his disposal with the new season well underway.
Nevertheless, he is keen for the two new arrivals to build relationships with their new teammates on the training pitch as well as feature in domestic cup competitions.
Chelsea will not play in Europe this term following their 12th-place Premier League finish in the 2022-23 campaign.
Ugochukwu has already turned out three times this term and played 90 minutes in the Blues’ win over Wimbledon in the League Cup last month.
The ex-Rennes man, 19, cost Chelsea a reported fee of £23.2million and signed a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
Washington joined the Blues for a reported £17.1million in August after making his breakthrough with boyhood club Santos in Brazil earlier this year.
The 18-year-old, who signed a seven-year deal, is yet to play for his new club.
In other news, Chelsea ready to sell defender this week after Pochettino green light.