Chelsea set to complete £17m transfer steal as wonderkid’s exciting potential laid bare

Chelsea are set to make their seventh signing of the summer with incoming Boca Juniors centre-back Aaron Anselmino marking new manager Enzo Maresca’s fourth defensive arrival of the transfer window.

The 19-year-old is set to join for a fee in the region of £17million, including add-ons, on a six-year deal that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2030, with contrasting reports as to whether he’ll be going out on loan to Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg or straight back to Boca until January.

Maresca has already signed Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, USMNT left-back Caleb Wiley and FC Basel full-back Renato Veiga as defensive upgrades and Anselmino’s arrival looks to be more of the same. He also joins Omari Kellyman, Marc Guiu and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as additions under Maresca’s tenure but won’t feature for the Blues until next year.

Having broken into Argentine coach Jorge Almiron’s side last season, his ten senior appearances have shown off his talents whilst simultaneously highlighting a worrying case of repeat injuries. He was handed his debut at 18 after appearing as a half-time substitute in an Argentine Primera Division clash against Lanus in June 2023, and managed to leave a lasting impression on Almiron who hailed him after the match.

“It was the debut of a little guy who did really very well,” the Boca boss said after the game. “It seems like he had 200 games, the truth is that entering the Boca field and playing like he played… It’s not easy and I’m very happy for him.”

Despite a contract extension following the end of his season under Almiron, he’d only get his first start under new manager Diego Martinez in April in a Copa Sudamericana clash against Nacional Potosi before making his impact felt in the next match against Trinidense where he nodded home the winner late in the second half.

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Shortly after though, he was carted off with a muscle tear issue, an injury that kept him on the sidelines for the next two months before making his return in mid-June. Unfortunately, less than a minute after he’d been subbed on in stoppage time, the star was spotted limping after making a challenge for the ball and broke down in tears at the full-time whistle.

After the game, Boca boss Martinez claimed: “Aaron’s injury is a shame. I don’t know how bad his injury is. He was in very bad shape. He’s going to work hard again, prepare himself and we’ll have that footballer that I feel the club has and he’s going to give us a lot of joy.”

A subsequent scan revealed Anselmino had suffered a reoccurrence of the issue that sidelined him through April and May, but he’s already been touted by one of his nation’s greatest-ever players. Earlier this year, Boca Juniors president Juan Roman Riquelme highlighted Anselmino’s promise and drive – something he believes shows he’s on his way to the top of the sport.

“He’s going to be a national team player, he will compete with the central defenders for sure. He seems bigger. With the growth, the head he has and the desire to learn that he shows, he is on his way to becoming a great footballer,” he told ESPN.

It’s clear that whilst many supporters may not have heard of Anselmino, the Blues are continuing to do their diligence into the stars they’re recruiting from South America, with the Argentine now the latest on a long list of impressive starlets the club have secured since Todd Boehly’s arrival two years ago.

While the likes of Andrey Santos, Angelo Gabriel, Deivid Washington and their most recent pickup of Estevao Willian are yet to make their impact felt on the senior squad, there’s no doubt a buzz of excitement around what these stars could help Chelsea achieve in the long-term.