Chelsea and Aston Villa scouted Club Brugge defensive sensation Joel Ordonez during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
According to Graeme Bailey via TBR Football, Chelsea and Aston Villa are interested in acquiring the services of Joel Ordonez, and they sent scouts to watch the Club Brugge sensation in action against Argentina. Ecuador stunned the World Cup winners, and Ordonez was one of their standout performers on the night.
The 21-year-old centre-back joined Club Brugge in the summer of 2023 from Club NXT, and he has only gone from strength to strength since. The youngster’s impressive rise has not gone unnoticed, as multiple top clubs have been following his progress.
Joel Ordonez could leave Brugge in 2026
Chelsea and Aston Villa are two top clubs that have a long-standing interest in the Ecuadorian international. The two Premier League clubs have been keeping tabs on him for a while and could finally make a move for him in 2026.
While Joel Ordonez’s contract at the Belgian club runs until the summer of 2028, they will struggle to keep hold of the 21-year-old for long, amidst interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Scouts from the English clubs were present in the stands to watch Ecuador square up against Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers. Their primary focus was on Ordonez, who put up a sensational performance and helped his team keep a clean sheet against one of the best attacks in the world.
Chelsea and Aston Villa’s representatives were quite impressed with what they saw from Joel Ordonez, and since the interest in the 21-year-old keeps increasing, they could try to secure his services in the winter.
Graeme Bailey on Aston Villa and Chelsea’s interest in Ordonez
While speaking about Ordonez’s future, Bailey said, “Joel Ordonez is an outstanding young defender, and it is safe to assume that he will be leaving Club Brugge in 2026. He is going to the World Cup finals next summer, and I am told that he is almost certain to have gone before that point.
“Chelsea and Villa are both long-term admirers of Ordonez, so no shock they are both posting scouts to keep tabs on his progress, and seeing him in action against an international-calibre strike force like Argentina is important.”
Joel Ordonez was on the verge of joining Marseille in the recently concluded transfer window, but the move collapsed. Given the number of top clubs that are after his signature, Brugge will struggle to hold onto him for long.
People at Aston Villa admire the Ecuadorian international, and Unai Emery would love to add more depth to his backline. He could be a great long-term acquisition for the Birmingham-based club.
Meanwhile, Chelsea seek a defender with a strong physical presence, and the 21-year-old fits the bill. With Levi Colwill out injured and Wesley Fofana struggling to stay fit, the Blues could push hard to sign Ordonez in the winter window.