Chelsea Pick Pep Chavarria to Sign as Cucurella’s Replacement
Chelsea have intensified their pursuit of Rayo Vallecano left-back Pep Chavarria as they push to complete their answer to Marc Cucurella’s departure to Real Madrid, submitting an improved bid in an effort to convince the Spanish club to sanction the transfer.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have raised their offer for the 28-year-old defender after Rayo Vallecano previously turned down an initial proposal worth around €15 million, with the La Liga club valuing their player closer to €25 million. Negotiations between the two clubs remain ongoing, though the exact value of Chelsea’s revised bid has not been disclosed.
Chavarria’s determination to force through the move has been evident in recent weeks, with reports indicating he has not featured in any of Rayo Vallecano’s three pre-season friendlies in July as he prioritises completing his switch to Stamford Bridge. Personal terms between the player and Chelsea were reportedly agreed some time ago, with Xabi Alonso understood to be leading the push to bring the Spaniard to west London.
The vacancy at left-back emerged after Cucurella completed a move to Real Madrid earlier in the transfer window, in a deal worth in the region of €60 million that left Alonso with only Dutch defender Jorrel Hato as an experienced option in that position. Chelsea had initially explored other targets before turning their full attention to Chavarria, including reported interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo, who is said to have rejected the chance to reunite with Alonso, and Real Madrid’s Alvaro Carreras, whose path back into regular first-team football at the Bernabeu appeared blocked following Cucurella’s arrival.
Chavarria made 44 appearances across all competitions for Rayo Vallecano last season, playing a key role as the club navigated a demanding campaign that included a run to the Europa Conference League final, in which they were beaten by Crystal Palace. His versatility is considered a key asset, with the Spaniard comfortable operating either as a traditional left-back within a back four or pushing forward into a left-midfield role when required.
The move would represent something of a departure from Chelsea’s usual transfer strategy under the club’s ownership group, which has typically prioritised high-value young prospects rather than established performers entering the latter stages of their careers. Analysts have suggested that, given his age, Chavarria is likely to be viewed as a short-term solution to bolster Alonso’s defensive options rather than a long-term successor to Cucurella, with the club potentially still eyeing a younger left-back to complement the Spaniard’s signing.
Should the improved bid meet Rayo Vallecano’s valuation, Chavarria’s transfer to Chelsea could be finalised in the coming days, giving Alonso further defensive reinforcement as he continues to reshape the Stamford Bridge squad ahead of the new Premier League season following a disappointing tenth-place finish last term.
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