Chelsea 'sign' second Sporting youngster in shock double swoop

Chelsea have reportedly sealed a deal to sign Sporting CP's Dario Essugo on the same day that they snapped up his compatriot Geovany Quenda.

Unlike Quenda, who had scarcely been linked with the Blues and was instead considered to be a chief target for Manchester United, Essugo has been on the club's radar for a while. A deal was almost done during the January transfer window but it appears that the 20-year-old midfielder will now be on his way to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Essugo's move to Chelsea has been described as a "done deal" by A Bola. The Portuguese outlet claims that the Premier League side will pay a fixed fee of €25m (£21m) for a player who is currently on loan with Las Palmas in La Liga. While Quenda won't join up with Chelsea until 2026, Essugo is expected to arrive in west London this summer ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The 5'10 defensive midfielder has been a regular for the relegation-threatened island outfit this season, building upon the experience he earned during his loan spell in the Portuguese top flight with Chaves last season. However, it has not been a campaign without its struggles. Essugo has been shown two red cards this calendar year alone while collecting nine bookings across the entire campaign.

Despite this poor disciplinary record, the combative qualities which Essugo boasts - when he is on the pitch - have won plenty of admirers. Real Madrid and Barcelona have both been linked with the 20-year-old, whose average of 4.8 tackles and interceptions per 90 is the best return of any midfield regular in La Liga this season.

However, just as they did with Quenda, Chelsea appear to have won the race for the signature of this highly rated youngster.

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