Xabi Alonso's first pre-season as Chelsea boss is officially underway. The Spaniard will be hoping to end the trend of failing managers in West London and will be well aware how important recruitment will be if he is to do exactly that.
Already, the Blues have welcomed Marco Palestra from Atalanta and lost Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid, sparking early drama. Alas, that is only the start. As ever, BlueCo have still got a number of names in their sights, and that includes Rayo Vallecano's Pep Chavarria.
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The Rayo Vallecano man is firmly on Chelsea's radar, as they look to complete their deal and welcome their second signing of the summer.
Chelsea pushing to finalise Chavarria deal
According to Marca in Spain, as relayed by Sport Witness, Chelsea are pushing to finalise a deal for Chavarria this week and have already agreed personal terms with the left-back.
FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in action with Rayo Vallecano's Pathe Ciss and Pep Chavarria
Whilst Rayo Vallecano have consistently pointed towards the 28-year-old's €50m (£43m) release clause, it remains to be seen whether the Blues can find a middle ground and land a bargain deal.
With personal terms already agreed, those at Stamford Bridge are just one step away from sealing Alonso's second incoming of the summer.
Chavarria is not a long-term solution for Chelsea
In many ways, Chavarria goes against Chelsea's usual recruitment model. And whilst many may see that as a good thing given the lack of success with BlueCo's strategy in recent years, it's clear that Chavarria would not be a long-term option.
The La Liga star would be making quite the step up from Rayo Vallecano and replacing Cucurella certainly won't be an easy task. At 28, there's not much room for further improvement, either.
25/26 Cucurella Chavarria
Minutes 2,710 2,681
Assists 4 2
Tackles 55 54
Recoveries 113 142
Duel success 52.2% 51.8%
As a short-term solution, however, the numbers suggest that Chavarria can plug a gap for Alonso. The Vallecano star is excellent out of possession and certainly won't be short on commitment. Signing the left-back alongside a younger option should be the plan for those at Stamford Bridge.
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