Watford have opened negotiations with Chelsea over a summer deal for striker Ike Ugbo, The Athletic reports.
The 22-year-old has been with the Blues since the age of nine, but he has yet to make a competitive appearance for them.
Since 2017, he has been loaned out to five different clubs, and his recent campaign at Cercle Brugge has been the stand-out one.
Ugbo netted 16 goals in 32 appearances for Cercle Brugge as they managed to avoid relegation from the Belgian top-flight.
The club had the option to sign him for £5 million, but a deal did not materialise with the striker deciding to pursue a bigger challenge elsewhere.
Newly-promoted Watford have opened talks with the Blues to land his signature, but the negotiations are only at a preliminary stage.
Sportslens view:
Ugbo will enter the final year of his Blues contract this summer, and it is unlikely that he will put pen-to-paper on a new deal.
He is among the plethora of players, who have been loaned out by the Blues over the years. He may look to settle permanently with his next club.
The Hornets are definitely a tempting prospect for him as he could potentially lead the line on their return to the top-flight next term.
Xisco’s side recently secured automatic promotion from the Championship, but it has been more of a combined effort without any stand-out scorers.
Ismaila Sarr has been their best attacking player this season, registering only 13 goals.
After his success in Belgium, the Blues may raise their price tag for Ugbo, and they could also include performance-related clauses.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Read: Chelsea willing to sell Tammy Abraham for £40 million.
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