Journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Pep Chavarria as they look to strengthen their defence.
Since the arrival of Xabi Alonso as the new manager of Chelsea, the Blues have concentrated on strengthening their defense before going into the new campaign.
According to the reports, the Chels have already agreed on terms with Marco Palestra and Valentin Barco in order to bring in the youngsters as their latest defensive recruits.
Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues have also agreed on terms with experienced left-back Pep Chavarria.
Chavarria is currently under contract with La Liga side Rayo Vallecano till the summer of 2030, but now that the Chels are ready to pay a sufficient transfer fee for the 28-year-old, Rayo is reportedly looking to cash in on their prized asset.
Certainly, the Blues' interest in Chavarria comes as a surprise, as it could be seen as a shift in the Blues' transfer policy in recent times.
The Stamford Bridge side previously focused on bringing in highly talented youngsters with the intention of building a team for the future.
But now with the recent departure of their experienced full-back Marc Cucurella, Chavarria's signing might be seen as a like-for-like change.
The Spanish left-back certainly doesn't have the same experience of playing in top-tier football for a long time as Cucurella does, but there is no doubt about his abilities down the left-hand side.
Chavarria is known for his driving runs with the ball down the left flank and also for his ability to deliver dangerous crosses in the opponent's box.
Most importantly, the 28-year-old is a brilliant interceptor of the ball and certainly a reliable defender, that's what a left-back is supposed to do, but unfortunately, the modern full-backs most of the time don't have that all-important ability in them.
Chavarria was also crucial in Rayo Vallecano's brilliant run in the Conference League during the previous campaign, as the Spanish side narrowly lost the final against Crystal Palace by one goal to nil.
He's also someone who Alonso has firsthand experience against, which came during the Spanish manager's short stint with Real Madrid during the previous campaign.
According to Romano, the Blues have started club-to-club talks with Rayo, and as the player is currently under contract with the Spanish side till the summer of 2030, Rayo will look to have the upper hand in terms of negotiations, but it is now unlikely for the two clubs now not to reach an agreement as the Blues are looking ready to pay the asking price for Chavarria this summer.
