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Which ex-Super Eagles star is Lesley Ugochukwu related to? Find out this and other important facts about Chelsea’s latest signing
Chelsea are set to seal a transfer for Rennes’ French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, however, little is known about the 19-year-old midfielder despite his impressive Ligue 1 campaigns in the last two seasons.
Ugochukwu is moments away from joining the Blues in a £23 million deal that will tie him to Chelsea until 2031, and questions have been raised about the midfielder's quality and nationality, given his heavily Nigerian-influenced name.
We have all the answers to questions about Ugochukwu, including how good he is and which ex-Super Eagles star he is related to.
Who is Lesley Ugochukwu?
Lesley Chimuanya Ugochukwu is a French-born defensive midfielder born to Nigerian parents. The 19-year-old prodigy is one of Ligue 1’s top-rated talents and has been likened to former Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, whose 2021 departure to Real Madrid opened the door for Ugochukwu to enter the first team.
The French youth international was born and grew up in the city of Rennes. He played football at the local Circle Paul Bert before being snapped up by Les Rennais as an eight-year-old where he spent nine more years in the academy before playing in Ligue 1.
Ugochukwu, finally made his debut for his hometown club’s senior side in 2021 in a league fixture against Dijon and has played in 60 competitive games for Les Rennais, including 47 Ligue 1 games where he has managed his only professional goal to date.
Playing as a defensive midfielder, usually as a lone or double pivot, his lack of goals is unsurprising, but his quality at his age is.
Lesley Ugochukwu’s link to Nigeria’s Super Eagles
Despite being a regular for France’s youth teams, Ugohukwu is still eligible to play for Nigeria, and he has a strong legacy with the Super Eagles.
Ugochukwu is the nephew of former Super Eagles defender Onyekachi Apam, who also played for Rennes between 2010 and 2014.
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Apam was a popular figure in Nigerian national football after starring in the 2005 U20 World Cup and the 2008 Summer Olympics, where the country finished second, losing to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina on both occasions.
The now-retired defender also appeared at the 2010 World Cup with the Super Eagles, but it remains unlikely that his nephew will follow in his footsteps.
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Unlike Apam, Ugochukwu’s dual nationality means he has to make the difficult decision of either playing for the French national team or the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The 19-year-old has already represented France at the U18 and U19 levels and likely has his heart set on continuing on that path at the senior level, making a future with the Super Eagles highly improbable.
Why Chelsea were desperate to sign Lesley Ugochukwu
Chelsea’s recent transfer strategy and pursuit of young talent has already seen them sign a number of talented youngsters, including prodigious future stars like Andre Santos, Cesare Casadei, Angelo Gabriel, Nicolas Jackson, and Carney Chukwuemeka, who are all expected to lead the Blues into a new era when they mature to their full potential.
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Ugochukwu’s performances with Rennes have put him in the same potential bracket as Chelsea’s latest additions, and the 19-year-old is already proving to be a top-quality midfielder despite his age.
Chelsea’s new boy has been compared to his compatriot, Camavinga, thanks to their progression paths in Rennes’ youth system and their superb tackling technique, but Ugochukwu is slightly different from the Real Madrid man.
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While Camavinga is renowned for his forays into the opposition half with the ball and his ability to progress play with deep runs, Ugochukwu is slightly more conservative in nature, although he is adept at beating pressure and keeping possession.
With a dribble completion percentage of 60.0%, Ugochukwu ranks just outside the 80th percentile of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, while his defensive and passing stats are just as impressive.
Although Ugochukwu is not a volume passer, his accuracy is among the best in Europe. In total, he completed 86.8% of attempted passes over the past year, a decent amount for a defensive midfielder, but it is over longer distances that the 19-year-old really shines.
He ranks in the 95th percentile for passes over medium and long distances, showing his quality in passing his side out of trouble.
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Ugochukwu is also defensively astute, ranking just outside the top 10% of successful tacklers in the middle third, as well as the top 3% of successful one-versus-one tacklers and the top 5% shot blockers in Eurpope’s top five leagues over the last year.
With even more room to improve, Chelsea could have landed a real gem of a midfielder who could go on to become one of Europe’s leading midfielders if given the right circumstances.
Where will Lesley Ugochukwu play next season?
Chelsea are still in the hunt for a defensive midfielder after losing N’Golo Kante and Jorginho and struggling to seal a deal for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo and they could give Ugochukwu a shot at becoming a regular in that position.
However, the more likely scenario should see the midfielder leave Chelsea on loan this summer after completing the transfer from Rennes, with the 19-year-old likely to join the Blues’ new sister club, Strasbourg, for another season in Ligue 1.
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