Chelsea look set to significantly revamp out options at full back for next season. Marc Cucurella has gone; Malo Gusto could follow. Marco Palestra is set to come in, as are Valentín Barco and Geovany Quenda, both of whom could play wing-back if needed.
But that may not be needed, with Chelsea apparently also working on another signing at the position. According to multiple reports yesterday, including from The Athletic, we have “opened talks” with Rayo Vallecano for Pep Chavarría, and are “growing in confidence” that a deal will be agreed.
Chavarría plays primarily at left wing-back and he has been a steady performer and key player for Rayo for the last few years, including in their UEFA Conference League campaign last season where they were the beaten finalists by Crystal Palace. He doesn’t light up the scoresheet, but he’s excellent on the ball and solid off of it. He’s quick and aggressive, much like Cucurella, though he’s a bit small for Premier League corners. I suppose that’s where Jorrel Hato comes in ... or stays in consideration, to be more accurate. At 28, Chavarría is still in the prime of his career, having been on the radar of Chelsea and Xabi Alonso, both.
On first glance, I’m not particularly enthused by Chavarría, but in theory, he could be a good budget-friendly signing. The best full backs and wing-backs are often the ones who give those 7-out-of-10 performances every game, and he does have those sorts of vibes.