Burnley, Aug 7 : French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu reflected on his move from Chelsea to Burnley for an undisclosed fee and said joining the Clarets is the perfect decision for him at this stage of his career.

The talented 21-year-old has signed a five-year contract at Turf Moor after Burnley beat off stiff competition from around the Premier League and Europe for his signature. In putting pen to paper, Ugochukwu becomes the seventh addition to Scott Parker's squad this summer.

'It's a great feeling to sign for Burnley. As soon as I was made aware of the club's interest in signing me, I was keen to hear more about the project. I spoke to the manager and Maxime (Esteve) ' they were both so passionate about the club and the direction it's heading in.

"It feels like this is the perfect move for me at this stage of my career with the ambition the club is showing. It's a really exciting time to be here and I can't wait to get started. I'm really excited to pull on the Burnley shirt in the Premier League," said Ugochukwu.

The French midfielder joined Chelsea in the summer of 2023 from Rennes in his native France and made 15 appearances for the Blues in his first season and finished it by representing his country at the Olympic Games in Paris. He subsequently joined Southampton on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, featuring 31 times in all competitions for the Saints and scoring once.

Ugochukwu was one of the shining lights in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Saints, with the young midfielder featuring 31 times in all competitions, scoring one goal in a Player of the Match appearance against West Ham United in April.

/IANS