Thierry Henry, the manager of the France Under-21 team, has raised concerns about the limited playing time that midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu has seen under Chelsea’s manager Mauricio Pochettino this season.
Despite joining Chelsea from Stade Rennais for a substantial fee of around £25 million in August, Ugochukwu has had minimal involvement in Premier League matches under Pochettino this season, accumulating just 140 minutes of playing time.
Pochettino has consistently favored other midfield options such as Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Conor Gallagher, leaving Ugochukwu struggling to secure a spot in the starting lineup. Despite being selected by Henry for the latest squad, Ugochukwu’s playing time at Chelsea remains a concern.
Henry expressed his worry about the situation, stating, “The problem is the same with Lesley.” In a related matter, Henry also addressed the challenging situation faced by Lyon’s Johann Lepenant, who was also included in the squad but is currently encountering difficulties at his club. Henry emphasized that they would continue to support Lepenant physically during international duty, but the ultimate resolution of the issue lies with the player and his representatives in dealing with Lyon.