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The Blues have agreed a £23m deal with Rennes for the 19-year-old, who has already made 60 appearances for the Ligue 1 club’s first team.
An exciting prospect who already has European experience in the Europa and Conference Leagues, but seemingly not a player who is going to be competing for a place in the Chelsea first team this season.
Pochettino was asked about the Frenchman during Chelsea’s pre-season trip to America on Sunday, saying: ‘I didn’t know nothing because I didn’t see, no time to speak, to talk. I have the news but still I cannot say nothing.’
Asked if the Blues would need to sign another more experienced midfielder as well as Ugochukwu he said: ‘‘I think we’re still talking about we need an experienced midfielder, yes.
‘I don’t know the information that you have. My information is that he’s a player from France that they have signed maybe with the idea to send on loan, you know, using a different club – but that information was already in your laptop. It’s nothing to say too much.’
Chelsea have shipped out a number of players this summer as part of a big clearout and are a little short in central midfield after the departures of Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
19-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka could be afforded more first team opportunities, though, after coming in for praise from Pochettino.
‘He’s a player that can play in-between No.10 and No.8,’ the Blues boss told NBC Sports.
‘He’s a very talented player, very good quality. In our dynamic, he can use different spaces on the pitch.’
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