Chelsea hoping to sell ex-Super Eagles star’s nephew this summer

Chelsea are quietly working behind the scenes to trim their bloated squad, and one of the names on the chopping block is Lesley Ugochukwu, nephew of former Super Eagles defender Onyekachi Apam.

After spending last season out on loan, the 20-year-old midfielder may be heading for a permanent exit from Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks.

According to The Telegraph's Matt Law, Chelsea are pushing for a permanent move rather than another temporary deal for Ugochukwu.

Speaking on The London Is Blue Podcast, Law explained, “I’m told there is an expectation he will leave permanently. They expect to sell him rather than loan him.”

While the Blues rejected several loan offers last month, they appear to be holding out for a permanent transfer instead. The lack of acceptable bids so far has delayed progress, but sources close to the club remain confident that a deal will eventually materialise.

Chelsea’s strategy under their new sporting structure has leaned towards cashing in on young fringe players, and Ugochukwu looks to be one of the next names on that list.

Lesley Ugochukwu’s football journey is closely tied to Nigerian heritage through his uncle, Onyekachi Apam, a former international defender who played for Nigeria at the U20 and U23 levels and earned senior caps as well.

Apam most notably helped Nigeria win silver at both the 2005 U20 World Cup and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

While Ugochukwu has yet to make the same kind of impact, Chelsea's willingness to sell suggests they believe his development would be better served elsewhere.

Whether he follows his uncle’s international footsteps remains to be seen, but for now, the focus is on finding him a new permanent home.