One of Chelsea’s top scouts has been on a scouting mission to watch a South American teenager this week.
If you look at Chelsea in recent transfer windows, they’ve signed young rising stars from the South American continent. For example, 17-year-old duo Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez will officially move to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Paez has been at Cobham as the Ecuadorian teenager gets an early start on adapting to life in England.
Meanwhile, Brazil international Estevao is the world’s ‘most advanced’ youngster based on several different metrics by CIES.
Photo by JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images
Photo by JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images
Top Chelsea scout watches youngster Neyser Villarreal
According to The Sun, a top scout from Chelsea has attended a game in the Colombian top division to watch Neyser Villarreal.
It is explained that the Blues are monitoring Millonarios youngster Villarreal. Incidentally, the 19-year-old forward was booked in this week’s 2-0 win over Santa Fe after standing on the ball in some unforgettable showboating.
The report says that Porto, Watford and Inter Miami are all keen on signing the versatile attacker, who can play anywhere across the front three. Chelsea are in the mix after sending one of their best scouts, too.
Apparently, scouts noted the player’s ‘explosive acceleration’ on the football pitch, even if his final ball still needs some improvement.
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It’s worth noting that Villarreal’s contract expires with Millonarios in 2025.
Chelsea plan to sign a marquee striker in the summer transfer window, but this feels like another profile that would be more for the future than the present.
Photo by EDISON GAMEZ/AFP via Getty Images
Photo by EDISON GAMEZ/AFP via Getty Images
Neyser Villarreal had magical U20 South American Championship
At the start of 2025, Villarreal starred for Colombia’s Under-20s side in the South American Championship.
He finished as the tournament’s top scorer, netting eight goals in nine games as Colombia finished third overall.
Match Minutes played Goals
Colombia U20 1-1 Argentina U20 90 0
Colombia U20 1-0 Ecuador U20 83 1
Colombia U20 3-2 Bolivia U20 73 1
Brazil U20 0-1 Colombia U20 83 1
Colombia U20 4-0 Paraguay U20 75 3
Colombia U20 0-1 Brazil U20 90 0
Argentina U20 1-0 Colombia U20 85 0
Colombia U20 3-1 Chile U20 90 1
Uruguay U20 1-3 Colombia U20 90 1
Neyser Villarreal in the U20 South American Championship via Transfermarkt
Let’s wait and see if Chelsea decide to ramp up interest by adding yet another future star to their ranks. It’s certainly something that the fanbase are becoming used to seeing under this current ownership.