Chelsea agree £23.5m deal for Rennes teenager Lesley Ugochukwu

Chelsea have agreed an unexpected deal for young Rennes midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, as they continue to struggle to sign Brighton's Moises Caicedo.

 According to The Athletic, Chelsea have agreed a deal with Rennes to sign 19-year-old midfielder Ugochukwu for around £23.5 million ($30.2m).

Brighton have been adamant that they want £100m ($128m) for Ecuadorian Caicedo, but this doesn't seem a figure that Chelsea are willing to meet.

 With a fee now agreed for Frenchman Ugochukwu, Chelsea have bolstered their midfield options for the time being, although they will surely continue to pursue Caicedo in the coming weeks. It has been reported in France that the teenager could be sent on loan to Chelsea-owned Strasbourg in Ligue 1.

Chelsea continue their pre-season tour in the USA against Fulham on Sunday.