Southampton manager Ivan Juric has expressed his desire to retain Lesley Ugochukwu for the remainder of the season, following the Nigerian midfielder's resurgence in recent weeks.
The French-born Nigerian midfielder joined Chelsea in the summer of 2023 from Rennes in Ligue 1, but limited opportunities at Stamford Bridge saw him fall behind high-profile midfielders such as Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, and Roméo Lavia.
A loan move to Southampton was seen as an opportunity for the 20-year-old to gain valuable Premier League experience. However, his time at Southampton initially seemed in jeopardy, with reports suggesting Chelsea might recall him in January after limited appearances.
Despite a challenging start to his loan spell, Ugochukwu has become a key figure under Juric, featuring in Southampton’s last three Premier League matches after being sidelined for the previous four under former boss Russell Martin.
Juric, speaking ahead of Southampton’s clash with Brentford, made his position clear. “I want him to stay here. I think he has great potential. The people from Chelsea are not stupid,.
“He’s a really young guy at 20 years old, and it’s not always easy to work with youngsters, but he’s really good with potential.”
Ugochukwu: Nigerian midfielder's numbers at Southampton
Since Juric’s arrival, Lesley Ugochukwu’s fortunes have changed, and he has now started six matches across all competitions for the Saints.
The midfielder boasts a passing accuracy of 88% so far this season, and defensively he averages one tackle and 1.9 ball recoveries per game, while winning nearly 50% of his total duels.
Ugochukwu remains under contract with Chelsea until 2030, with an option to extend to 2031, but his immediate future could depend on Juric’s efforts to convince the Blues to let him continue his development at St. Mary’s.
