Everton are one of three ‘priority’ destinations for Chelsea midfielder who will leave this summer

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Everton’s summer transfer window has been largely proficient thus far, but the last few weeks have seen that pinpoint effectiveness wane somewhat.

After all, Everton’s involvement in the Jaden Philogene saga saw them dragged into unnecessary drama, and has set them back in their pursuit of a much-needed winger.

Kevin Thelwell will be keen to ensure that Sean Dyche’s squad is all but completed before pre-season really gets into full flow, and stalling over unlikely transfers like this one does little to aid in that pursuit.

However, they could now be set to get things back on track with a shrewd piece of business.

Everton show interest in Lesley Ugochukwu

With the news emerging that Everton will sell Amadou Onana to Aston Villa, set to fetch a hefty sum for his departure too, their PSR woes are due to be all but eradicated.

Financial freedom is something which the Toffees have not experienced in some time, however they cannot allow it to cloud their judgement in the transfer market.

They must continue to act with intelligence and care, with their interest in loaning Lesley Ugochukwu seemingly one such example of another risk-free endeavour.

French outlet Foot Mercato claims: ‘Three teams from England are interested in the player’s services. Everton is among this list of contenders according to our information.’

The Athletic then sought to add further information to Chelsea’s preferred destination for the French midfielder: ‘Chelsea’s priority would be for Ugochukwu to go out on loan to another Premier League club with three teams having registering interest.’

Who is Everton transfer target Lesley Ugochukwu?

Born in 2004, the 20-year-old swiftly made his way through the youth ranks to enjoy a brief stint at Rennes II before making his move up into the Rennes senior squad.

Instantly impressing with his remarkable size and maturity, and having emerged for a team renowned for their youth development, it was not going to be long before a bigger club came sniffing around their then teenage talent.

More than capable of slotting into a more defensive midfield role, he uses his long frame to make tackles few others could manage, and is unsurprisingly formidable in the air.

Another trait that might make him more favourable for Dyche is his preference to play short, opting to break up play then offload neatly to a more creative partner.

With Onana departing, this seems like the perfect short-term fix to replace him for just a season, further cementing their financial position and allowing them to buy elsewhere.

Everton must convince Chelsea that they are the perfect place for Ugochukwu to continue his development and beat out the other Premier League clubs rivalling for his signature.