Chelsea are prepared to let Dario Essugo leave on loan after Hull City emerged as a potential Premier League destination for the midfielder.
The 21-year-old impressed during Xabi Alonso’s first Chelsea pre-season but faces significant competition for regular minutes at Stamford Bridge.
Hull are now exploring whether they can take Essugo for the 2026/27 campaign, while Strasbourg remain another possible destination.
Sports Mole reports that Hull have joined the race for Essugo, citing talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook.
🚨Exclusive: Chelsea make Dario Essugo available on loan. He is a strong contender for a move to take the final loan spot at Strasbourg but there is also Premier League interest. 👇https://t.co/avefZjABby
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) August 21, 2026
Chelsea prepared to sanction Dario Essugo loan
Chelsea’s position has become considerably clearer over the past 48 hours.
The Evening Standard reports that the Blues have alerted clubs to Essugo’s availability and are prepared to consider viable season-long loan proposals.
A final decision has not yet been made, but a temporary departure is now viewed as increasingly likely.
Hull would offer Essugo the possibility of remaining in the Premier League after the newly promoted side opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United.
Regular top-flight football could be particularly valuable after an injury-disrupted 2025/26 season restricted the Portugal Under-21 international’s opportunities.
The change in his situation is notable given the responsibility Alonso handed him during pre-season.
ReadChelsea covered Essugo’s surprise Chelsea captaincy earlier this month, when he led the side during the 3-3 draw with Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Hull move could change Chelsea’s Strasbourg plan
Strasbourg remain another option.
That decision carries wider implications because the Ligue 1 club have limited space remaining for further Chelsea loans.
ReadChelsea analysed on Saturday how Essugo taking Strasbourg’s final available Chelsea loan place could affect Mykhailo Mudryk’s future.
A switch to Hull would remove that complication while keeping Essugo in English football.
Alonso currently has Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco among his midfield options, while Reece James can also play centrally.
Chelsea therefore have enough depth to consider allowing Essugo to develop elsewhere.
The priority should be minutes.
If Hull can offer them consistently, a Premier League loan could provide Chelsea with a more useful test of Essugo’s long-term potential than another season spent on the fringes at Stamford Bridge.
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