Three years and three loans into his senior professional career, Jérémie Boga has grown tired of the loan life. He made that quite clear at the end of last season, spent at Championship side Birmingham City, which is why it was weird to see him linked another loan, this time at Serie A club Sassuolo.
As it turns out, there was no change of heart. Boga will indeed move on from Chelsea in a permanent transfer, as announced today by the club.
#Calciomercato: dal Chelsea arriva Jeremie #Boga! Il comunicato ufficiale è su https://t.co/GXGBZ2rnp5 #ForzaSasol pic.twitter.com/H7CDzfPp2V
— U.S. Sassuolo (@SassuoloUS) July 21, 2018
But, there is good news. Great news, in fact. The arrangement is even better than a loan, with a paltry fee, rumored to be around £3.5-4m, offset by a buyback clause. Out with the Loan Army, in with the Buyback Army!
Jeremie Boga is having a medical in Milan ahead of his move to Sassuolo. Fee is around £4m, Chelsea have put in a buy-back clause in the deal. #CFC
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) July 20, 2018
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder had been at Chelsea since 2009 and made his debut for the club at the beginning of last season, starting the first match of the season, the 2-3 home loss to Burnley that would set the tone for much of the nine months to follow. Boga unfortunately last only 18 minutes, sacrificed for a substitute defender after Gary Cahill earned himself an early shower with a red card. Sixteen days later, Boga would head out on loan. Now, he’s leaving in a more permanent arrangement.
Boga had shown bags of promise in the Academy, but has not quite lived up to that billing in the pros. May he do so now on Italian soil.
Best of luck, Jérémie!