Hull City have joined the chase to sign Chelsea midfielder Dario Essugo on loan, with the Tigers willing to sign the Portugal U-21 international until the end of the 2026-27 season.
The 21-year-old has struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge since joining from Las Palmas last summer. He sustained a serious thigh injury in September 2025 that required surgery, keeping him sidelined until the second half of last season.
Chelsea have indicated that they are prepared to listen to loan offers for Essugo, who has made just eight substitute appearances for the Blues in his first season. The arrivals of Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco at Stamford Bridge, coupled with the emergence of Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli and Reggie Watson, means that there is less room for Essugo in manager Xabi Alonso's plans.
Strasbourg have also shown an interest in the Portuguese midfielder, but face significant competition from Hull City. Chelsea's preference is to send Essugo to a Premier League club where he will play significantly to aid his development.
Hull City have made significant additions to their squad, prioritising physically robust players to enable them to compete favourably in the league. This move would see Essugo join a team that is looking to strengthen its midfield.
Essugo has shown his abilities in flashes as a Chelsea player, and a spell out on loan would benefit him. He averaged 1.9 interceptions and completed 36 tackles per game during his last season of regular football with Las Palmas in La Liga.
The 21-year-old won 53.9 percent of his total duels for Las Palmas in the 2024-25 season, demonstrating his potential as a midfielder. A loan move to Hull City could be the perfect opportunity for Essugo to regain his form and make a name for himself in the Premier League.
Hull City are now in direct competition with Strasbourg for Essugo's signature, and it remains to be seen which club will ultimately secure his services.
Source: Yahoo Sports
