Strasbourg explore move for Chelsea midfielder Dario Essugo

Dario Essugo, a 21-year-old midfielder of Portuguese and Angolan nationality at Chelsea, has been linked with a move to Ligue 1 club Strasbourg.

Essugo joined Chelsea from Sporting in June 2025 in a deal worth €22.27m, having spent the previous season on loan at UD Las Palmas. The defensive midfielder has since made three Premier League appearances for Chelsea, along with three appearances at the 2025 Club World Cup.

He was part of the Chelsea squad that won the Club World Cup in 2025, one of the major honours of his first season with the club. Essugo also has three Portuguese league titles from his time at Sporting.

The reported interest comes with Essugo’s long-term Chelsea commitment still in place. His contract with the Premier League club runs until 30 June 2033, and his current market value is listed at €15m.

Essugo began his senior career with Sporting after progressing through the club’s academy and made loan moves to Chaves and Las Palmas before returning to Lisbon. Chelsea completed his permanent transfer shortly after the Las Palmas loan ended, giving him a place in a squad that went on to lift the Club World Cup and finish as FA Cup runners-up in 2025-26.

There is no indication that a transfer to Strasbourg has been agreed, with the reported move remaining at the rumour stage.