Chelsea are closing in on another signing this summer after agreeing a £17m+ deal for the next exciting talent out of Brazil, according to recent reports.
Chelsea building for the future
It has been a strange two years since Todd Boehly’s arrival at Stamford Bridge, with much of the first team sold off to fund moves for future gems.
Significant sums have been spent on players who are either yet to join or who have been sent out on loan for the most part, with only Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto, Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu likely to be part of Enzo Maresca’s squad for the upcoming Premier League season from the teenagers signed.
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Teenage signings since Todd Boehly’s arrival |
|
|
Player |
Fee |
|
Gabriel Slonina |
£7m |
|
Romeo Lavia |
£58m |
|
Andrey Santos |
£18m |
|
Cesare Casadei |
£12m |
|
Carney Chukwuemeka |
£20m |
|
Malo Gusto |
£30m |
|
Lesley Ugochukwu |
£23.2m |
|
Angelo |
£13m |
|
Deivid Washington |
£17.2m |
|
Omari Kellyman |
£17m |
|
Caleb Wiley |
£8.5m |
|
Marc Guiu |
£5m |
|
Estevao |
£30m |
|
Kendry Paez |
Undisclosed |
The method is yet to truly bear fruit either, with Chelsea finishing in a Europa Conference League spot last season despite five straight wins to end the season, a finish that saw them part ways with manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Meanwhile, homegrown talents are being sold off to make space for the additions; Ian Maatsen has joined Aston Villa this summer and Conor Gallagher is on the verge of joining Atletico Madrid, while Trevoh Chalobah continues to be ostracised from the squad amid reports he could leave the club too.
Chelsea agree deal for “Neymar-esque” forward
Chelsea have reportedly finally agreed a deal to sign 16-year-old Brazilian talent Gabriel Mec from Gremio. The attacker is yet to make a senior appearance for Gremio, and has just six U20 appearances to his name, registering one goal in the process.
However, he is already widely touted as a future superstar; Football analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “a 2-footed, skilful Brazilian attacker” with a “Neymar-esque play-style” on X. He tends to play in the wide areas or as a number 10, but it is added that “wherever he plays he’ll drop deeper or central to receive the ball”.
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The west Londoners have offered him out across Europe.
Now, the same outlet that broke Chelsea’s initial interest in the teenager have claimed that a deal has been agreed, with the Blues ready to pay in excess of 20m euros (£17m) with add-ons included.
Meanwhile, other reports claim Mec is “open to the move” to Stamford Bridge, where he would join a growing contingent of Brazilian youngsters with Estevao already set to make his way to west London to join Angelo and Andrey Santos.
Of course, Mec can not leave Brazil until he turns 18, which will see him head across the Atlantic in the summer of 2026 to join his new club. If he lives up to the weight of expectation that surrounds him, he could prove an excellent piece of business for the Blues, albeit at the cost of their current squad.
