Fulham and Watford are among a host of clubs who are keeping tabs on Ike Ugbo, who is about to enter the final year of his contract at Chelsea.

The 22-year-old has come through the ranks at Stamford Bridge, but he has understandably found game time hard to come by, meaning the striker has had to go out on loan to get minutes.

Ugbo spent this season on loan with Cercle Brugge in the Belgian top-flight, and he impressed, scoring 16 goals in 32 games.

Such form has caught the eye, and Football Insider have claimed that the two English clubs have joined Schalke, Sassuolo and Genk in keeping tabs on the player.

Given his contract situation, there is the chance that Ugbo could leave Chelsea on a permanent basis, with the Hornets and the Cottagers both chasing new strikers ahead of the new season.

Watford could have the advantage as they will be able to offer Premier League football following their promotion, whilst Scott Parker's side have dropped into the Championship after a disappointing campaign that resulted in relegation.

The verdict

Firstly, both clubs should be encouraged by this link because Ugbo is an exciting young striker who has the potential to be a top player.

His record in Belgium this season has been excellent, and playing regularly seems to have really helped his development.

Wit just over 12 months left on his deal at Chelsea, the Londoners could look to cash in on Ugbo this summer as opposed to letting his deal run down, so a transfer does seem likely. The challenge for Fulham and Watford will be to convince Ugbo to stay in England over the options he will have from abroad.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.