Chelsea are interested in a move for Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but they may face a lot of competition for his signature, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What's the latest on Manuel Ugarte?

The Uruguayan has attracted a lot of transfer interest this summer, and Chelsea are now said to be interested in a move, alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Aston Villa, among others.

The 22-year-old has made 47 appearances in all competitons this season, helping Sporting reach the Europa League quarter-finals under Ruben Amorim, and could be ready for a big move.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano claimed that Ugarte is of interest to the Blues, who are aware of his release clause this summer.

"Chelsea appreciate Ugarte. This is still not something clear, because Chelsea are not going to close this deal now," he stated.

"Chelsea have an interest, Chelsea appreciate the player, Chelsea know about the release clause of €60m (£52m), and they are discussing internally about whether they want to trigger the clause or if they prefer to negotiate on this deal, but Ugarte is one of the names they have in their list."

What could Ugarte bring to Chelsea?

premier-league-newcastle-transfer-gossip-ugarte-rodri-howe-magpies

Having lost Jorginho in January, and with Mateo Kovacic potentially leaving, whilst N'Golo Kante continues to suffer from injury issues, Chelsea could benefit from bringing a midfielder in despite the arrival of Enzo Fernandez.

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to take the helm as head coach, and he could look to add some steel to the middle of the park.

The Uruguayan has previously been described as a "warrior," and he could form a formidable partnership with Fernandez as Pochettino looks to restore order to the chaos at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have had a disastrous campaign, as they are set to finish in the bottom half of the table despite heavy spending across the last two transfer windows, and Pochettino will be their fifth manager since the start of last season.

Given the other interest in Ugarte, and the lack of European football at Chelsea next season, it would be something of a coup if they can convince him to join, in what will likely be an expensive transfer.

Mason Mount has been linked with a big-money move away, and if Chelsea can earn a significant fee from his departure, they may be able to fund a move for Ugarte, but they have to be wary about their financial situation, with sales needed to comply with financial fair play rules.