Chelsea have officially confirmed the acquisition of Dario Essugo, the highly-rated midfielder from Sporting Lisbon, marking their first signing of the summer transfer window.
The 20-year-old Portuguese international joins the Blues in a transfer valued at £18.5 million, with no additional clauses reported. The summer transfer window commenced on Sunday, and Chelsea were quick to finalize this deal.
Essugo has committed his future to Chelsea with a long-term contract running until the summer of 2033, aligning with the club`s recent strategy of securing players on extensive deals.
A product of Sporting`s youth system, Essugo holds the distinction of being the youngest player ever to represent the Portuguese club. He made his senior debut in March 2021 at the age of just 16 years and six days.
Later that year, at 16 years, 11 months, and 17 days old, he surpassed the record held by Portuguese legend Luis Figo to become Sporting`s youngest starting player.
Before his recent move, Essugo gained experience playing for Sporting`s senior team, making 23 appearances, as well as featuring for the B team. Last season, he had two loan spells to further his development.
He spent the first half of the 2023/24 campaign with LaLiga side Las Palmas, where he became a regular feature in the first team, scoring once in 27 games. He concluded the season with 14 appearances on loan at Primeira Liga club Chaves.
Despite his potential, the Portugal Under-21 international faces significant competition for a place in what is currently a very populated Chelsea midfield, which includes established players such as Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, and Moises Caicedo.
