Chelsea are closing in on a deal with Rayo Vallecano for left-back Pep Chavarria, according to The Athletic.
The 28-year-old has agreed personal terms with the Premier League club and is expected to be given permission for a medical as the two sides work towards finalising the move.
Chelsea have prioritised a left-sided defender since Marc Cucurella left for Real Madrid in a €60 million deal in June, a departure that left Jorrel Hato as the club’s only recognised senior left-back, with 18-year-old academy prospect Landon Emenalo filling in during pre-season.
Chavarria featured throughout Rayo’s run to last season’s Conference League final, playing the full 90 minutes as Iñigo Pérez’s side lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace in Leipzig.
He has spent his entire career in Spanish football, making 125 appearances for Rayo since joining from Real Zaragoza in 2022, and his contract runs until 2030 with a €50 million release clause.
The move would continue a busy summer for Xabi Alonso’s rebuild at Stamford Bridge. Marco Palestra became the club’s first signing of the Alonso era last month, arriving from Atalanta on a seven-year deal, following earlier additions Geovany Quenda, Denner, Dastan Satpaev and Emmanuel Emegha.
Morgan Rogers, Danny Welbeck, Maxence Lacroix and Jordan Henderson have since joined, while Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to resume first-team training following a doping ban.
Chavarria has long been viewed internally as Chelsea’s top target for the role, seen not only as a squad option but as a potential mentor for both Hato and Emenalo.
Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman
