Casting his gaze out around Cobham on Monday during his first visit to our training ground as a Chelsea player, accompanied by his proud family, Essugo’s verdict is simple and sums up his feelings on joining the Blues: ‘It’s beautiful!’

The Portuguese midfielder’s signing was sealed at the beginning of this month and he arrived for his first day as a Blue on the same day as fellow new signing Mamadou Sarr, with this summer’s early transfer window allowing both players to be registered in time to compete at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.

Regardless of the timing, the chance to represent the Blues is an opportunity Essugo is clearly excited about, and one he couldn’t resist.

‘I’m very happy,’ said the 20-year-old. ‘It's a big step to make early in my career. Every player dreams of getting to a big club and Chelsea is no exception. It's a massive club and I'm feeling proud and very happy to be here.

‘Honestly, Chelsea showed big interest in me. When that happens, you can't turn it down. When my dad told me Chelsea were interested, I was very happy and here we are now!

‘Cobham has great facilities, great infrastructure and equipment. There are a lot of people working here at the club and that is something really important. I've received a really warm welcome from everyone so its started off very well.’

This will be Essugo’s first time playing in English football, with his career before now being spent in his native Portugal and across the border in neighbouring Spain.

For those Chelsea supporters unsure of what we will be getting from our new midfielder, he explains what we can expect from him as a player and off the pitch.

‘I'm a very aggressive player, I love to win back possession and I love to govern the pitch. I love to win!' he said.

'I am also a player who loves to hold the ball, to create space with the ball and attack, but also help the defence when they need it.

‘Off the pitch, I am a very chilled guy and I'm a fun guy once I warm up, I just need to get to know people first. And I'm always looking to learn. I love to spend time with my friends and family. I'm very close to my family, I love to spend time with them whenever I can.’

Having come through the youth ranks at Sporting and set records as that club’s youngest player - then the youngest Portuguese player to appear in the UEFA Champions League - it was actually away from Lisbon that Essugo really made his mark over the last 18 months.

A promising short-term switch to Chaves – also in the Portuguese top flight – was followed by another loan spell, this time with Spanish side Las Palmas for the 2024/25 season, where he caught the eye in La Liga.

‘My experiences on loan were really important and something I needed,’ explained Dario. ‘My first stint on loan was to Chaves and, at that time, I needed minutes and game time. That gave me the confidence I needed back at Sporting. My four months there were a great experience.

‘My experience in Spain at Las Palmas was also great. I managed to play a prominent role there and got a lot of visibility. It was something I always had, but not at the level that I reached at Las Palmas.’

However, for the Portugal Under-21s international from the Odivelas suburb of Lisbon, his sights are now turning to the future, not the past.

That’s not to say he can’t draw inspiration from history, though. Being just 20 years old, many of Chelsea’s greatest successes came before his time, but one great night for the club in 2021, just up the Portuguese coast from where he grew up, provides an example of what he hopes to achieve with the Blues.

‘The first memories I have were from when [Jose] Mourinho was here in 2015,’ explained Essugo. ‘But the most recent memory is the Champions League final the club won, which fittingly took place in Porto. I remember that well, and generally some of the great players that have played here.

‘I want to win as much as possible, as many titles as possible. Obviously, I want to win the Champions League, but also the Premier League because it's very difficult. I want to win titles, play as much as possible at Chelsea and be part of the club's history.’