Signing number eight of the summer has arrived with the loan capture of exciting youngster Ike Ugbo from Premier League champions Chelsea.
Ugbo, 18, is the first striker that Barnsley have managed to acquire this summer and comes with plenty of potential. The striker has been at Stamford Bridge since the age of 10 and plundered 23 goals in 35 matches for the Blues Under 23 and Under 18 sides in 2016-2017 which included a brace in a 3-2 defeat to Exeter in the Checkatrade Trophy and he has scored over 60 goals for the Chelsea youth sides over the past three seasons winning two FA Youth Cup winners medals following his appearances in their 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 successes against Manchester City – he scored in both legs of the 2017 final (1-1 first leg, 5-1 second leg)
This fine form saw Ugbo called up to the England Under 20 squad for this summer’s Toulon tournament in which he helped the country to win, scoring the only goal in the group opener against Angola and the first penalty in the shootout success in the final against the Ivory Coast – he started the group opener and semi-final 3-0 win over Scotland whilst coming on as a 58th minute substitute in the final.
Ugbo will remain at Oakwell for the entirety of the 2017-2018 campaign and head coach Paul Heckingbottom told www.barnsleyfc.co.uk:
“We’re really pleased at being able to bring one of the brightest young strikers out there to Oakwell and of course we must thank Chelsea for allowing us to do so. I am really excited about what Ike can bring to the team. He is a forward who has pace, height, strength and power as well as a keen eye for goal as is shown by his record. He fits into the mould of players that we’re looking for; someone who wants to better themselves and further their career so we are more than happy that he has chosen to continue that development with us.”