Mauricio Pochettino is understood to have approved Chelsea’s interest in Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
Pochettino will take charge of Chelsea next season after agreeing a deal to become the club’s next head coach and attention has now turned to the summer transfer window and improving from a disastrous campaign.
Chelsea ended the Premier League season 12th, the club’s lowest league finish since 1994 and 30 points worse off than the 2021/22 campaign.
Chelsea have been linked with the addition of a defensive midfielder and the west Londoners are understood to be interested in Ugarte. The Uruguay international has had a breakout campaign at Sporting Lisbon and led Portugal’s Primeira Liga for duels won and tackles made this season.
Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Pochettino has approved a Chelsea move for Ugarte, whose contract at Sporting contains a release clause of around £52m.
Chelsea face competition fort he 21-year-old from Paris Saint-Germain however, who have submitted a proposal to sign Ugarte.
