Chelsea have sanctioned another midfield departure after confirming Dario Essugo has joined Strasbourg on a season-long loan.
The move comes immediately after Chelsea approved Enzo Fernandez’s £125m-plus transfer to Manchester City, leaving Xabi Alonso with a considerably smaller group of senior midfield options.
Essugo will spend the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign in Ligue 1.
🚨 JUST IN: Dario Essugo agrees to join Chelsea's partner club Strasbourg on loan. (@NizaarKinsella) #CFC pic.twitter.com/1N5NgLRCOU
— ChelseaReport (@chelsreport_) September 1, 2026
Chelsea confirm Dario Essugo Strasbourg loan
Chelsea confirmed Essugo’s departure on Wednesday, with the Portugal Under-21 international moving to Strasbourg for the season.
The 20-year-old had initially been lined up for a loan to Hull City before that proposed switch collapsed.
The Standard reports that Hull changed their deadline-day priorities, prompting Chelsea to arrange the Strasbourg move instead.
Essugo joined Chelsea from Sporting CP in 2025 and featured three times during the club’s successful FIFA Club World Cup campaign.
His departure has greater significance following Fernandez’s blockbuster move to Manchester City.
The Standard says Alonso is now left with five first-team midfield options, listing Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Valentin Barco, Jordan Henderson and Reece James.
Chelsea had expected Lamine Camara to join that group after reaching a written agreement with Monaco.
However, that £47m transfer collapsed in extraordinary circumstances late on deadline day when Monaco withdrew from the deal.
Essugo will instead receive the opportunity for more regular first-team football in France.
Chelsea must now navigate the opening months of the season with a notably different midfield group from the one Alonso had before deadline day.
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