ไทย
English
中國人
Chelsea have reportedly stepped up their efforts to sign Rayo Vallecano left back Pep Chavarría as a replacement for Marc Cucurella following his move to Real Madrid.
Chavarría has been connected with a potential switch to Stamford Bridge for several weeks, and Chelsea have now tabled an improved offer in an attempt to persuade Rayo Vallecano to sanction the Spaniard's transfer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
According to MARCA, Rayo Vallecano recently turned down an opening bid of approximately $17.3 million (€15 million), with the Spanish club placing a $28.8 million (€25 million) price tag on the 28-year-old. The value of Chelsea's revised offer remains undisclosed, though talks are continuing and a deal could be reached soon.
Chavarría has been absent from all three of Rayo Vallecano's July preseason friendlies as he reportedly focuses on securing a move to Stamford Bridge. Xabi Alonso is understood to be spearheading the push to land Chavarría, and reaching a personal terms agreement with the player is not anticipated to be a stumbling block.
Why Chelsea Want Chavarría
Filling the left back role has become a pressing priority for Chelsea in the wake of Cucurella's exit. Jorrel Hato showed considerable growth during his debut season in England, but the young Dutchman may be better suited to developing as a center back long term. It is essential that Chelsea secure a left back before the summer transfer window shuts.
Chavarría was something of a late developer, not making his La Liga debut until the age of 24. However, following two impressive seasons at Real Zaragoza, now-Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola brought him to Rayo Vallecano in the summer of 2022, where he has evolved into a highly capable fullback.
Under both Iraola and then Iñigo Pérez, Chavarría developed into an energetic, high-coverage fullback. He was the embodiment of reliability for a Rayo side that qualified for European competition for the first time in 25 years before going on to reach the UEFA Conference League final last season.
Now firmly in his prime, Chavarría was one of Pérez's most relied-upon players, starting 29 La Liga matches last season. Should Chelsea secure his signature, they would be bringing in a ready-made solution capable of immediately plugging the gap left by Cucurella. Furthermore, he possesses the qualities to function as either a conventional fullback or a wing-back.
Enable functional cookies to see this feature.
The Blues have already bolstered the opposite flank by signing Marco Palestra earlier this summer. Securing a right back was arguably Chelsea's most pressing fullback need, and Chavarría could potentially cost less than half of what the club paid to bring Palestra on board.
Rayo Vallecano appear reluctant to part with a player who has been so integral to their recent achievements, but if Chelsea's enhanced offer meets Rayo's asking price, it may only be a matter of time before Alonso secures his coveted Cucurella successor.