Chelsea have made a last-ditch attempt to sign Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte, according to a report that has emerged from Portugal.

Have Chelsea been linked with Ugarte signing?

It has been made abundantly clear that the Blues are looking for midfield signings in the summer transfer window, in what represents a crucial period in the club's recent history. They struggled there throughout a dreadful season in the Premier League, with fresh legs badly needed.

One player who has been constantly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge before the start of the 2023/24 campaign is Ugarte, who has stood out as one of Sporting's most important and influential players of late. Endless reports have suggested that the £16,000-a-week midfielder is a primary target for Chelsea, although other clubs are also thought to be in the race.

It certainly looks as though the Uruguayan will leave his current club at some point in the summer, and while the Blues hopes of signing him having arguably been fading a little, a fresh update suggests that they are still battling hard to get their man.

What's the current situation with Ugarte?

According to Record [via Sport Witness], there is a "last-ditch effort" from Chelsea to sign Ugarte, with the player himself keen on the idea of moving to the Premier League. His exit from Sporting is "well underway", with the Blues and Paris Saint-Germain both willing to trigger his €60m (£51.6m) release clause, and the west Londoners holding a meeting regarding the signing on Thursday.

It remains to be seen where Ugarte will end up, but he really could be a game-changing signing for Chelsea, coming in as one of Europe's most mature and effective young defensive midfielders. His tackling ability is sensational, with an average of six, 4.8 and 3.9 tackles per game chalked up in the Europa League, Champions League and Primeira Liga this season respectively.

At 22, there is so much more to come from the Uruguay international, who has been lauded as a "high quality DM" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and if the Blues were able to sign both him and Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, they could be transformed in the middle of the park next season, and be sorted in that area for many years to come.

Whether Ugarte's head is turned by PSG and Champions League footballer is up for debate, or another top club for that matter, but it is encouraging to see Chelsea still in the mix.