Concerns about new Chelsea signing: He loves sausage rolls!

Tom Weber

Updated: 18 Mar 2025 02:02 CDT
3 min read

New Chelsea recruit Dario Essugo previously got into trouble due to his love for sausage rolls, according to a report.

The Blues snapped up not one but two Sporting CP prospects last week. After agreeing a deal for wonderkid Geovany Quenda, Chelsea also managed to acquire Dario Essugo.

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Unlike Quenda, who will only join in 2026, the 20-year-old midfielder will head to Stamford Bridge this summer and be immediately integrated into Enzo Maresca's first team.

Chelsea view Essugo as an ideal backup to Moises Caicedo due to his ball-winning qualities. A transfer fee of €22 million has been enough to seal an agreement for the midfielder.

Essugo is currently on loan at Las Palmas in LaLiga, but he will sign a contract until 2032 at Chelsea this summer. It is not yet clear when exactly he will join, however, as the Premier League has yet to approve FIFA's special transfer window for the Club World Cup.

Essugo loves a sausage roll

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Chelsea will take the new-look tournament seriously and want to have Essugo available, so they are hopeful that the Premier League will assent.

The window would be open between June 1 and June 10. Should the Premier League back the proposal, every Premier League club would be able to do business during that period, not just the sides participating in the Club World Cup.

As for Essugo, it has been a rapid rise to prominence. Indeed, Jacobs has revealed that his career was almost 'undone' for a very peculiar reason. The journalist spoke to those familiar with the player and it has come to light that he previously faced major fitness concerns.

It is claimed that the 20-year-old has a soft spot for sausage rolls and that this got him into trouble during his teenage years. Simply put, the tasty treats caused him to put on a bit of spare weight.

Essugo has since matured and overcome these issues. In fact, he is now renowned for his athleticism, but Chelsea would still do well to keep him away from the nearest Greggs establishment...