Chelsea are said to be eyeing a South American talentplaceholder image
Chelsea are said to be eyeing a South American talent | Wolves via Getty Images
Chelsea are said to be showing interest in another South American talent.
Chelsea are said to be eyeing another young South American talent, but this time one who is already operating in Europe. The Blues have had a mixed season so far, now looking like heading into the new year outside the top four after allowing fourth spot to slip with their defeat to Aston Villa.
Liverpool now hold fourth place, and Enzo Maresca’s men will have to wrestle it back over the course of the second half of the season, though Champions League football may yet be awarded to the fifth-placed team for the second season running.
It is simply too early to say whether fifth will be enough, though, with the award based on this season’s performance from nations in the Champions League. Chelsea will be planning for fourth place or better, and based on that metric, they are now below par for the season, albeit with time remaining.
The January window could prove key for such races within the Premier League, although, after a summer of big spending from many clubs, it could be a quiet window.
Chelsea were already facing troubles spending in the summer due to a UEFA fine and the threat of another due to overspending on the Blues’ part, while Liverpool spend huge amounts of cash and are unlikely to spend again in the winter.
If Chelsea do spent, it’s likely to be on one signing to improve their squad, and recent times have suggested they will continue to focus on their recruitment strategy of signing young players with room to develop and improve.
Chelsea eye Castro
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea are now showing an interest in Bologna talent Santiago Castro, who is a 21-year-old centre-forward.
The youngster has scored five and assisted once in 22 appearances across all competitions this season, though he does only have nine league starts, given his age. The report claims Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are all showing interest in the Argentine, who has been a part of his nation’s first-team international setup, but he is yet to debut.
According to the report, Bologna are already demanding at least £35million if they are to sell, and they are said to be working on a new contract to keep him in place beyond 2028, with improved terms expected to be on the table given his first team status.
That could mean the English clubs face a rush to get the deal done if they want to ensure the price doesn’t ramp up. As for Chelsea’s interest, they would likely need to convince Castro he has a chance of playing in the near future, given the other clubs could likely offer a quicker path to regular first team football.
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