Chelsea Are The Team ‘Most Interested’ In Snapping Up Argentinian Centre-Back With £19.5M Release Clause

Chelsea are in pole position to sign Boca Juniors defender Aaron Anselmino, according to PlanetaBJ.com . The Argentinian website claims that the Blues are the club that are “most interested” in buying the 19-year-old, and they are expected to hold further talks about a transfer this summer.

Boca want teams to meet Anselmino’s release clause, which is believed to be $25m (£19.5m), so Chelsea will need to match it or at least get close in order for an offer to be accepted. That fee is unlikely to prove much of a problem for the London club, although they would probably still want to pay in instalments for FFP reasons rather than handing all the money over upfront.

A Premier League rival has been heavily linked with Anselmino Back in March, it was reported that Manchester United were prepared to pay the teenager’s buyout clause but the player stated at the time that he was keen on staying at Boca:

head is here at Boca. I want to win titles here and win titles with this shirt. Nothing has come from outside.”

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea have managed to persuade Anselmino to reconsider his stance on leaving his current team.

Do Chelsea need another centre-half?

The news about Anselmino is somewhat surprising considering the club have only just recently announced the arrival of Tosin Adarabioyo. The 26-year-old will join on a free transfer from Fulham at the start of next month.

It means the Blues now have 6 centre-backs , including Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill. There are reports that Chalobah could be sold but, even so, it is hard to see where Anselmino would fit in, unless there are plans to loan him straight back to Boca.