Transfers
Strasbourg count on Essugo’s midfield shift as loan from Chelsea begins
Strasbourg have turned to 21‑year‑old Portugal youth international Dario Essugo to add midfield depth after a slow start to the Ligue 1 campaign, and the loan from Chelsea over the summer gave them a versatile option. The 21‑year‑old made his first start for RC Strasbourg Alsace on Sunday and opened the scoring at the Allianz Riviera.
Essugo’s No 8 role expands options
His opener arrived from the edge of the box, a driven effort that clipped the inside of Yehvann Diouf’s post before finding the net. Although OGC Nice fought back, the match ended 2‑1 after Jonathan Clauss struck a late winner for the visitors.
In a post‑match mixed‑zone interview with Get French Football News, Essugo said, “I want to play but not to show anything to someone else. I just want to focus on myself and help Strasbourg to improve and win games.” The forward‑thinking midfielder stressed that personal development, not proving a point to Chelsea, drives his performance.
Nice's late surge overturns Strasbourg in Ligue 1 clash
Midfield coach Hugo Oliveira, a fellow Portuguese, has deployed Essugo as a No 8, allowing him to arrive in the box more often. Essugo explained, “He wants me to be myself. He wants me to play as more of a No. 8, and that’s good for me because I can get in the box more. It’s a new thing for me, but I can drive the ball more and help the team in defence.” The role marks a shift from his previous duties as a central defender with the Portugal U21 side.
Essugo acknowledges that the opening weeks in Alsace are a learning curve, but he sees the loan spell as a platform to cement a future at Chelsea. Continued minutes in midfield and further goal contributions will be key to both his development and Strasbourg’s ambition to climb the table.