Chelsea is nearing the completion of a deal to acquire the services of Rayo Vallecano's left-back, Pep Chavarria, for a transfer fee of approximately £16.3m (€19m), with additional performance-based payments. The two clubs are currently finalizing the finer details of the transfer agreement. Negotiations have been ongoing for over a month, with Chelsea identifying Chavarria as a suitable replacement for Marc Cucurella, who recently joined Real Madrid. At 28 years old, Chavarria brings a level of experience that Chelsea has been seeking to add to their youthful squad this summer.
Last season, he featured in 44 games across all competitions for Rayo Vallecano and started in the Conference League final, where they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. According to Sky Sports' Adam Bate, Chavarria's ability to bring intensity to a team's performance is a valuable asset, and his experience working under coach Andoni Iraola has helped him develop into a well-rounded full-back. Chavarria has demonstrated his ability to overlap, underlap, and step into midfield, adding depth to his game.
His reputation as one of the hardest-working full-backs in LaLiga is well-deserved. Under the guidance of Inigo Perez, Chavarria has flourished as a modern full-back, involved in all aspects of the team's play. Last season, Chavarria had over 2000 touches in LaLiga, supplying a steady stream of crosses from the wing and ranking among the top players in the competition for crosses from open play and corners won. While he may not be a player with exceptional creative abilities, his willingness to run and stretch the play could prove to be an important asset for Chelsea.