Wolves hijack Chelsea transfer move for exciting Brazilian defender
- Chelsea beaten to signing of young Brazilian defender Pedro Lima
- Blues had hoped to send 17-year-old on loan to partner club Strasbourg
- However, five-year contract with Wolves now in place
Chelsea have been usurped by Wolves in their pursuit of young full-back Pedro Lima with their Premier League rivals set to confirm a transfer, his parent club has revealed.
The Blues had targeted the 17-year-old over the past few months as part of their scouting mission in South America and all signs seemed to be pointing towards a move that would see the teenage defender join Strasbourg on loan before relocating at Stamford Bridge.
However, Sport Recife have released a statement confirming an agreement for Lima's transfer has been reached with Wolves instead.
The statement says: "Sport Club do Recife announces that it has signed a binding agreement to transfer the economic and federative rights of athlete Pedro Lima to Wolverhampton Wanderers, from England.
"The agreement is subject to customary conditions, including the athlete's approval of medical examinations conducted by the English club. President Yuri Romao and the football management committee will detail the operation in a statement when all acts related to the business have been completed."
O Sport Club do Recife comunica que celebrou acordo vinculante para cessão dos direitos econômicos e federativos do atleta Pedro Lima para o Wolverhampton Wanderers, da Inglaterra. O acordo está sujeito às condições de praxe, entre elas a aprovação do atleta em exames médicos… pic.twitter.com/UyarvAFROo
— Sport Club do Recife (@sportrecife) June 17, 2024
The Athletic add personal terms between Wolves and Lima are in place, with a five-year deal with the option for a further season agreed. The move would see Lima become the Molineux outfit's second signing of the summer after Rodrigo Gomes was drafted in from Braga last week.
It also comes shortly after Lima had told a journalist: "The move to Chelsea? It's almost done...!"
Lima is expected to seal his move on 1 July when the transfer window officially opens. That date is coincidentally his 18th birthday.
The Cabedelo native signed a new contract with Recife in February 2024 and had previously featured for Brazil's Under-17s at that age group's World Cup late last year, where they were beaten by South American rivals Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Lima has played 30 times for Recife in all competitions in 2024 so far, with eight appearances coming in Brazil's Serie B.
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