Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has provided an update on the possibility of the club recalling Lesley Ugochukwu from his loan spell at Southampton ahead of the winter transfer.
Lesley Ugochukwu joined the Saints in the summer on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea but struggled to feature consistently for the relegation-threatened team.
Ugochukwu has only made six Premier League appearances for the Saints which raised concerns about the possibility of the Blues recalling him from the loan spell.
In a press conference ahead of the clash against Southampton, Maresca shared insight into the club’s position on the situation of Ugochukwu at Southampton.
He emphasized the clubs are focused on winning games before the winter window.
“I have no idea at the moment. I have no idea about the loans, about the transfer window. Before January, I think we have seven Premier League games. It’s too many games to be thinking about that.”
The 20-year-old joined Chelsea in the summer of 2023 from Rennes. Ugochukwu made an impression at Rennes, making his debut, at 17, in a 5–1 victory over Dijon.
Since the move, the young midfielder has struggled for playing time at the Blues prompting a move to the Saints. With the current situation, there are possibilities of Chelsea recalling him in January.
