Overview

• Essugo joins Chelsea from Sporting Lisbon for £18.5 million on a contract running until summer 2033
• The 20-year-old made his senior debut aged 16 and broke Luis Figo’s record as Sporting’s youngest starter
• He featured 23 times for Sporting’s first team before loan spells at Chaves and LaLiga side Las Palmas, scoring once in 27 appearances
• A Portugal Under-21 international, Essugo is viewed as a versatile midfield prospect for Chelsea’s long-term rebuild
• The signing continues Chelsea’s youth-focused recruitment drive following 2024 arrivals Geovany Quenda and Kendry Paez