'He's not playing' - France U21 coach Thierry Henry voices concern over Ugochukwu's lack of game time at Chelsea

France U21 coach Thierry Henry has expressed concerns over the lack of game time for Lesley Ugochukwu since his move to Chelsea in the summer.

With stiff competition from Enzo Fernandez, Moisés Caicedo and Conor Gallagher, the talented midfielder has started 4 games across all competitions this season.

The 19-year-old's only start in the Premier League this season was against Bournemouth and he was selected due to injuries which is an indication of how down he is at the pecking order of defensive midfielders.

The potential return of Roméo Lavia after the international break is likely to further deplete his game time as the Belgian international is primed to be one of the vital players for the Stamford Bridge outfit.

Henry is worried about the lack of minutes for his players, including the former Rennes starlet ahead of their forthcoming games.

In quotes relayed by Get Football, the Arsenal legend said: "The problem is the same with Lesley, even if the situation is different at Chelsea because in front of him, there are players like Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.

"But he's not playing, and nowadays, these players don't even play with the reserve side to keep their rhythm.

"At the start of the season, you can benefit from the physical conditioning of the pre-season but the benefits fade and I hope he can continue to keep on course physically".

While Ugochukwu has played a bit-part role for Chelsea, he is a key player for the France U21, having started their last four matches.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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