Young Chelsea striker Ike Ugbo proved himself prolific in Netherlands’ second level last season with Roda JC, in his first loan stint outside of England. And his time in the Benelux is not over yet, as he moved to Belgian club Cercle Brugge on a season-long loan today.
Cercle Brugge heeft met het Engelse topteam @ChelseaFC een akkoord bereikt over de tijdelijke overgang van Ike Ugbo (21). In de deal over de rechtsvoetige centrumspits is ook een aankoopoptie bedongen. Welkom Ike!
— Cercle Brugge (@cercleofficial) August 18, 2020
| https://t.co/jeFI4E7SPr#levecercle pic.twitter.com/1tEe7JoUpx
Before completing his return to the Low Countries, Ugbo signed a new contract as well. He is now tied with Chelsea for a further two years, after almost thirteen years with he Blues.
Ugbo has had loans in League One football with Barnsley, MK Dons and Scunthorpe United, before moving to Roda last summer. He scored 13 of the 36 goals the team managed in total before the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
His new club, Cercle Brugge play in Belgium’s top level, whose 2020-21 season has already began. Their first two matches were a 1-0 loss against Standard Liège and a 2-1 win over Antwerp.
Cercle Brugge have been owned by AS Monaco since 2017, and managed by former Chelsea Academy coach and assistant to Carlo Ancelotti, Paul Clement as of a month ago. Ugbo joins former Chelsea prospect Kylian Hazard at the club, who was signed last summer after a prior season on loan there.
Ugbo could conceivably follow a similar path. Best of luck, Ike!