Nigeria-Eligible Star Dumps Chelsea, Signs 5-Year Deal With Rival Premier League Club
- Lesley Ugochukwu has joined Burnley from Chelsea for a fee exceeding £20 million, signing a five-year contract at Turf Moor
- The transfer fee is reportedly similar to the £23.2 million the London club paid Rennes in 2023, but the player was deemed surplus at Stamford Bridge
- Burnley are also in talks to sign Chelsea’s Armando Broja for a potential £20 million, though the fee remains unconfirmed
English Premier League club Burnley have completed the signing of Nigeria-eligible star Lesley Ugochukwu from Chelsea in a deal worth over £20 million, the club confirmed on August 7, 2025.
The 21-year-old, who has inked a five-year contract at Turf Moor, joins the Clarets as they aim to bolster their squad for the season ahead.
The transfer fee is comparable to the £23.2 million Chelsea paid to sign the central midfielder from Rennes in 2023.
Source: Getty Images
Ugochukwu completed just two years of a seven-year contract with the Blues, where he made 15 appearances across all competitions in his debut season before spending the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Southampton, All Nigeria Soccer reports.
He was deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, as he trained separately from Enzo Maresca’s first team alongside other out-of-favour players like Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell.
Reports have it that Burnley will continue to do business in the transfer market as the club is also in negotiations to sign 23-year-old forward Armando Broja from Chelsea as well.
Sources indicate that Broja’s potential transfer could be valued at up to £20 million, though the final fee remains unconfirmed.
Speaking on his move to Burnley, Ugochukwu said, as per BBC:
"It's a great feeling to sign for Burnley. As soon as I was made aware of the club's interest in signing me, I was keen to hear more about the project.
"I spoke to the manager and Maxime [Esteve] – they were both so passionate about the club and the direction it's heading in.
"It feels like this is the perfect move for me at this stage of my career with the ambition the club is showing."
Lesley Ugochukwu is eligible for Nigeria
Born in France to Nigerian parents, Ugochukwu is eligible to represent the Super Eagles of Nigeria, since France has not capped him at the senior level. Although he has played for the French national youth teams, including the U18, U20, U21, and Olympic sides.
Source: Getty Images
His Nigerian heritage, through his parents and his uncle, former Nigeria international Onyekachi Apam, keeps him linked to the Super Eagles, with Nigeria’s head coach Eric Chelle expressing interest in recruiting him for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Adarabioyo picks Nigeria over England
Legit.ng earlier reported that Chelsea star Tosin Adarabioyo has reportedly decided which country he will represent at the international level after years of deliberating between England and Nigeria.
Adarabioyo was born in England to Nigerian parents and represented the English teams at youth levels, but has yet to earn a Three Lions call-up.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
