Chelsea 'agree £15.6m deal' for Boca Juniors defender

Chelsea are on the brink of furthering their summer spending with a deal for Argentine centre-back Aaron Anselmino after reportedly agreeing a deal with Boca Juniors.

The Blues have already made six new signings and are also set to wrap up the £20.7m acquisition of Villarreal and Denmark Under-21 goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal.

Interest in Anselmino has been increasingly talked about in recent weeks, with the 19-year-old representing perfectly the profile of player the BlueCo ownership group have targeted as part of the club’s targeted recruitment strategy since taking over in 2022.

Fabrizio Romano writes that Chelsea have agreed a package with Boca for Anselmino worth in excess of $20m (£15.6m). The young defender is expected to travel to the UK on Monday in order to finalise and complete the transfer's remaining formalities.

But rather than link up with Chelsea straight away, Anselmino will return to Argentina and stay with Boca on loan until "at least" January – the 2024 Argentine season is in progress.

Anselmino is a right-sided central defender and his expected signing further crowds Chelsea's options at the back. Trevoh Chalobah was left out of this summer's pre-season tour squad due to Enzo Maresca already having Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo in that right-sided role.

Even at just 26 years of age, Disasi and Adarabioyo are among the most senior players in the current squad, with Anselmino seemingly considered one for the future.

Chelsea have accumulated a bloated squad at this stage of the summer, but outgoings so far have served to raise considerable funds. Ian Maatsen has been sold to Aston Villa for not far shy of £40m, while Lewis Hall's loan to Newcastle United has been made permanent in another valuable sale at £28m. A further £20m deal has been agreed with Ipswich Town for Omari Hutchinson.

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