Lesley Ugochukwu of Southampton
Lesley Ugochukwu hasn't enjoyed his time at Southampton
Lesley Ugochukwu has wiped all traces of Southampton from his Instagram account in an apparent protest against his lack of game time.
Ugochukwu is on loan with Saints for the 2024/25 season from Chelsea and has struggled to make an impact. The 20-year-old midfielder has started just two Premier League matches for Russell Martin’s side, with nine appearances altogether across all competitions.
He was conspicuously absent from the Southampton squad for Friday night’s 1-1 draw against Brighton, with Martin not offering an explanation. It now seems as though the Chelsea man could be angling for a fresh start in January, having made changes to his social media account.
Eagle-eyed Saints fans noticed on Saturday morning that Ugochukwu had scrubbed all mentions of his current side. Chelsea are tagged in his bio and all posts are either personal ones or show the Frenchman in the blue shirt of his parent club.
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He is due more frustration in the near future, too, with Southampton’s next game coming against Chelsea in mid-week. Ugochukwu is ineligible to face his parent club – a fact that will be particularly annoying, given the situation Martin will have to deal with.
Flynn Downes scored his first ever Premier League goal at Brighton to earn the bottom side a valuable point, but he won’t play at St Mary’s against Chelsea on Wednesday, having incurred a one-match suspension for picking up his fifth yellow card of the campaign. He will join centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis and star attacking midfielder Tyler Dibling in the stands, possibly with Ugochukwu.
“I think the frustrating thing for us is a couple of them are for dissent and stuff on the pitch, which shouldn't happen,” Martin said about the three suspensions. “If they are good fouls and good yellow cards for the team, which Tyler Dibling's was, then you can accept it. We asked for more aggression and we got that.”
Lesley Ugochukwu has wiped Southampton off his Instagram account ( Image: Instagram/@l.ugochukwu8)
Ugochukwu joined Chelsea from Rennes for £23million in August 2023 before falling victim to the club’s huge roster of players. He has made just 15 appearances for the Blues so far and may be pushing for a new loan club once the January window opens because he is desperate for game time.
"I had an injury last season that kept me outside of the pitch. This season, I wanted to experience and play more minutes,” he said upon arrival at Southampton in the summer. "I said that Southampton is a great opportunity for me to show myself. I've had the opportunity in the Champions League with Rennes.
"I had a couple of games in the Europa League. I have some experience. Even last season, being at a big club like Chelsea made me feel what is the highest level. I know what to do and I think I am now here to work really hard and give everything for the fans and for myself."
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