Chelsea agree £18.5m deal for midfielder Essugo

Dario Essugo, a current loan player at Las Palmas, has been signed for a £18.5 million fee by Chelsea.

The 20-year-old is set to receive a seven-year contract with an option to extend it for an additional year, subject to a medical evaluation and personal agreements.

The Portuguese Under-21 international would replace Moises Caicedo as the team’s alternate defensive midfielder in June as a result of the deal.

Stamford Bridge’s senior sources claim that his rapid growth over the course of the season impressed scouts.

Essugo will be selected for the newly expanded Club World Cup tournament in the United States in June.

Essugo has appeared in 25 games for his parent club Sporting and has also played 17 games this season on loan at Las Palmas in Spain.