London's Chelsea are close to finalising a deal for 28-year-old Spanish left-back Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano.
According to insider Nicolo Schira and leading Spanish publications, the clubs have agreed on the transfer fee for the player: Chelsea will pay €25 million as a fixed sum, plus an additional €5 million in bonuses. Chavarria himself has agreed to a long-term contract with the Blues until 2032.
Resolving the issue on the left flank
The transfer of Chavarria is prompted by the necessity to fill the gap on the left side of defence following Marc Cucurella's move to Real Madrid for €60 million.
Although Yorrel Hato can play in that position, Chelsea's head coach Xabi Alonso needed a specialised full-back capable of actively joining attacks, defending aggressively, and covering the entire flank.
Details of the deal and interest from other clubs
Experience and readiness: At 28, Chavarria arrives at Chelsea as a developed player, ready to deliver results immediately in the Premier League.
Tactical flexibility: The defender works equally effectively in a classic four-defender system and in a wing-back setup (3-4-3), which Xabi Alonso prefers.
Competition from Bayer: Bayer Leverkusen showed significant interest in the Spaniard; however, the player himself preferred a move to Stamford Bridge.
Chavarria will join a list of summer arrivals at Chelsea that already includes Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Geovanni Kenda, Emmanuel Emega, and Danny Welbeck.
