Julio Enciso’s rollercoaster summer has finally reached its conclusion – and it’s Chelsea who have landed him.
According to César Luis Merlo, the Brighton forward has signed for the Blues in a deal worth €18.5m plus a further €2.5m in performance-related bonuses.
He will immediately be loaned out for a year to Racing Strasbourg, also owned by the BlueCo group, before making the eventual switch to Stamford Bridge.
The Paraguayan’s transfer had been in doubt after medical issues triggered additional tests on his knee, with reports from his home country even claiming the move was in danger of collapsing. In the end, the deal never truly fell apart – Chelsea pressed ahead and closed the agreement.
His fitness problems limited his impact on the pitch and even saw him dropped from Paraguay’s squad for their World Cup qualifiers this month, but Chelsea clearly believe in his long-term potential.
For now, Strasbourg will be the stage for Enciso to regain form and rhythm, before trying to prove he can eventually make the leap in the Premier League.