Chelsea midfielder and Super Eagles hopeful Lesley Ugochukwu visits home in Owerri

Lesley Ugochukwu and Mauricio Pochettino | Imago

Chelsea midfielder and Super Eagles hopeful Lesley Ugochukwu visits home in Owerri

Kolawole Babatunde 20:17 - 13.03.2024

Chelsea’s summer signing, Lesley Ugochukwu, has shared pictures of his visit to Nigeria on social media.

19-year old Ugochukwu, who last appeared for Chelsea in December 2023 due to a hamstring injury, has struggled to establish himself in the Blues’ side after joining from Stade Rennais in France last summer.

The midfielder has appeared in just ten league games so far, as he has to contend for a midfield spot with marquee signings like Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández. 

Ugochukwu visits family in Owerri

Born in France, the defensive midfielder has played for the French national team at the U-19 and U-21 levels, but his connection with Nigeria remains strong. 

The midfielder is the nephew of former Super Eagles and Seattle Sounders defender, Onyekachi Apam, who also played for Nice and Rennes in France.

There are reports of a possible switch of nationality, and Ugochukwu’s latest visit to Nigeria will only fuel this rumour.

The former Rennes man posted a picture on his Instagram story of him enjoying time away from football, featuring his family members, and the location was tagged as Owerri, Imo State.

What next for Ugochukwu?

The long-term goal for Ugochukwu would be to break into the Chelsea starting lineup. He's a young talent with a lot of potential, and Chelsea invested heavily in him with a seven-year contract. However, there is also the option of going out on loan to get more playing time, as he could be frustrated with having a bench role with Chelsea. 

Tags: