Chelsea are nearing a final agreement to sign Rayo Vallecano defender Pep Chavarria. The 28-year-old has already finalized personal terms with the London club, and both sides are optimistic about securing a transfer fee of less than £20 million.
Manager Xabi Alonso identified the left-back as a primary target after competing against him during his tenure at Real Madrid. This pursuit follows a rejected £15 million opening bid in June. Although Rayo initially sought a valuation closer to the player’s £42.8 million release clause, negotiations have since progressed. Chavarria, who has been with the Spanish side since his 2022 transfer from Real Zaragoza, pushed for the move to Stamford Bridge following Rayo’s Conference League final defeat.
Alonso intends to use the defender to implement his signature wing-back system, similar to the strategy used at Bayer Leverkusen. Chavarria’s addition provides necessary cover following Marc Cucurella’s £51.8 million move to Real Madrid. Chelsea’s active summer includes high-profile signings such as Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix, alongside experienced additions like Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson. The club now plans to prioritize offloading players, with Trevoh Chalobah set for a move to Como 1907.
