Chelsea are seriously considering recalling Argentinian wonderkid Aaron Anselmino from his loan at Boca Juniors in January, according to reports. The 19-year-old joined the Blues for £15.6million in August but was immediately loaned back to Boca for 12 months.
The club's initial plan was to let the young defender get some first-team experience under his belt before integrating him into their senior squad during the 2025/26 season. But it now appears those plans could be accelerated in light of Anselmino's impressive recent form.
As per Argentinian outlet BOLAVIP, Chelsea want Anselmino to get used to the rigours of European football as quickly as possible and are thinking of recalling him in order to send him to a club on the other side of the Atlantic. He's viewed by many as one of the best young defenders in the world, and it's understood Chelsea had to battle the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona for his signature.
He'll become the seventh Argentinian to play for Chelsea when he eventually makes his debut, following in the footsteps of the likes of Hernan Crespo, Juan Sebastian Veron, Gonzalo Higuain and Enzo Fernandez.
The latter sent Anselmino a touching WhatsApp message when his Chelsea transfer was confirmed in the summer. "I congratulate you on this step," Fernandez's message read. "Now, smash it in the time that you have left at Boca and I'll wait for you. You'll smash it here too. Count on me for whatever you need."
It demonstrates how highly Anselmino is rated in Argentinian circles. The young centre-back has yet to feature for his national side at any level but has nailed down a starting spot at Boca in the past few months. So far, he's played 20 times for the club's senior team and has two goals and three assists to his name already.
Anselmino is one of several young South American talents that Chelsea has snapped up in the past year as part of their excitingly daring recruitment strategy under BlueCo. Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez will join the club next year and, like Anselmino, are being tipped to make an instant impact in west London.
As a commanding, two-footed centre-back, Anselmino has been drawing comparisons to Chelsea legends like John Terry and Thiago Silva. He's calm and composed on the ball and boasts plenty of pace and power, which might explain why he's on Enzo Maresca's radar.
He's currently out with a hamstring injury, which will be cause for concern for Chelsea, given that it's his second hamstring problem in four months. It's understood that part of the reason they're considering recalling him is to manage his fitness and ensure the best possible recovery.
Aaron Anselmino
Aaron Anselmino signed for Chelsea in August, but was immediately loaned back to Boca Juniors (Image: Chris Lee - Chelsea FC)
Maresca has plenty of defenders at his disposal, but given the fitness record of Reece James and Wesley Fofana - both of whom are currently sidelined - and the doubts over Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile's consistency, Anselmino could be a shrewd addition to the squad.
The Blues are currently second in the Premier League - the first time that's been the case since January 2022 - after losing just two of their opening 14 games. Up next is a trip to Tottenham on Sunday, and victory there could close the gap on table-toppers Liverpool should the Reds drop points in Saturday's Merseyside Derby against Everton.
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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