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Chelsea is reportedly on the verge of finalizing a deal with Rayo Vallecano for left-back Pep Chavarria. The 28-year-old defender has agreed to personal terms with the Premier League club and is expected to undergo a medical as both clubs work to conclude the transfer.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the London club will pay €19 million, with additional clauses included in the agreement.
Securing a left-back has been a priority for Chelsea since Marc Cucurella's €60 million move to Real Madrid in June. This departure left Yorel Hato as the only natural left-back in the club's first team. Eighteen-year-old Landon Emenalo also featured in this position for Chelsea during pre-season.
Chavarria was part of the Rayo squad that reached the Conference League final last season. He played the full 90 minutes in their 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the decisive match in Leipzig.
The defender has spent his entire career in Spanish football, making 125 appearances for Rayo since joining from Real Zaragoza in 2022. His current contract with the Madrid club runs until 2030 and includes a release clause valued at €50 million.
Last month, Chelsea announced their first signing of the Xabi Alonso era, with Marco Palestra arriving from Atalanta on a seven-year deal. This followed the pre-agreed transfers of Geovani Kenda, Dener, Dastan Satpayev, and Emmanuel Emega. Subsequently, the club added Morgan Rogers, Danny Welbeck, Maxence Lacroix, and Jordan Henderson to Alonso's squad, while Mykhailo Mudryk was cleared to return to first-team training after a doping suspension.
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