Chelsea have taken a new step in the pursuit of Grêmio defender Luis Eduardo, according to Brazilian journalist Fábio Vargas.
The reporter claims the Premier League club have signalled that an official bid is on the way, with values expected to exceed €10m (£8.5m) and include performance bonuses.
The move comes only days after AS in Spain reported that both Chelsea and Manchester United had been monitoring the 17-year-old closely.
Grêmio renewed his contract until May 2028 and set a €60m(£51.4m) release clause for foreign clubs, but Chelsea is just “testing the waters” for now.
The Brazilian press have repeatedly highlighted why the teenager is attracting Premier League attention. We have recently covered a detailed piece on his role as captain of Brazil’s U17 side and his impact during the South American title run.
Chelsea’s signal of an upcoming bid suggests the club intend to accelerate ahead of competition, which makes sense given the Manchester United links. What happens next will depend on whether Grêmio are willing to open talks, but this is the clearest sign so far that the Premier League side are preparing a formal move.