Reports suggest that Chelsea are leading the race to sign Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte, with the player said to favour a move to the Premier League. The 22-year-old is expected to leave Lisbon in the coming weeks, with super-agent Jorge Mendes working on securing a swift transfer. Paris Saint-Germain have been laying the groundwork for some time and are prepared to pay Ugarte’s £52m release clause, though they are hoping to structure the deal in instalments rather than one up-front fee. However, Chelsea are prepared to match their offer with a similarly structured deal. Liverpool also hold long-standing interest in the midfielder, but it is now starting to look like a straight shootout between Chelsea and PSG. Portuguese newspaper Record reports that Ugarte’s preference would be a move to Stamford Bridge over the Parc des Princes, as he has always dreamed of playing in the Premier League.
