Chelsea are 'discussing' a move for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte as Mauricio Pochettino gets down to work at Stamford Bridge, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Manuel Ugarte?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea are said to be in the 'driving seat' to bring in Ugarte this summer and personal terms have been 'verbally agreed' ahead of a potential move.

The report states that the 22-year-old has a release clause of £52 million that Chelsea will pay and Ugarte is believed to be excited by the prospect of plying his trade in the Premier League.

Record via The Daily Express claim that Paris Saint-Germain also have a firm interest in the Uruguay international and it is thought that Chelsea have held discussions over including young striker David Datro Fofana in any prospective deal, who would head to the Jose Alvalade Stadium on a loan basis.

According to The Guardian, Pochettino is looking to find a midfield partner for Enzo Fernandez and the Blues will also face competition from Liverpool to land the Sporting Lisbon man.

Southampton's Romeo Lavia, Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana and Brighton pair Alexis Mac Allister and Moisés Caicedo all appear on a shortlist of midfield targets in west London.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Romano has stated that Chelsea are embroiled in talks to try and acquire Ugarte at present surrounding the terms of a deal.

Romano said: “It’s a negotiation, but it’s a negotiation going on between Chelsea and Sporting. While we are speaking, they are discussing the terms of the deal.”

Would Manuel Ugarte be a good signing for Chelsea?

Ugarte has been a mainstay for Sporting Lisbon this term and has impressed with his consistent displays, which in turn has attracted interest from around Europe in his services.

In 2022/23, the 22-year-old made 47 appearances in all competitions for his current employers, registering one assist in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored notes that Ugarte has been strong in the tackle in the Primeira Liga, successfully winning 3.9 challenges per match over the course of this season.

FBRef also shows that Ugarte has excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's eight divisions beyond the top five leagues in the art of pass completion, having managed to maintain an average of 91.6% per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile for this metric.

Chelsea need competence in the engine room looking ahead to next campaign and Ugarte would be a sensible signing to help Pochettino hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge.