Tenth Chelsea signing in London for medical with official announcement in the coming hours | OneFootball

Chelsea are closing in on their tenth signing of the summer with Rayo Vallencao defender Pep Chavarria in London for his medical, according to reports.

The Blues finished tenth in the Premier League last season as they sacked both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior in a turbulent campaign at Stamford Bridge.

There were worries that several of their best players could leave when they failed to qualify for Europe – but, out of important first-team players, only Marc Cucurella has left so far.

Cucurella left Chelsea to join Spanish giants Real Madrid in a deal worth around €60m, while Enzo Fernandez has also been linked with numerous different clubs.

Chelsea have already sealed eight deals as Danny Welbeck was confirmed as a new Blues player on Saturday, while Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Geovany Quenda, Emmanuel Emegha, Denner and Dastan Satpaev have also signed.

Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs revealed over the weekend that Jordan Henderson, who left Brentford by mutual agreement recently, has passed his medical as a new Chelsea player.

Fabrizio Romano revealed over the weekend that Chelsea had improved their offer to sign Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano as their replacement for Cucurella.

Romano posted on X: ‘EXCL: Chelsea improve their bid for Pep Chavarría as negotiations with Rayo Vallecano are moving forward. New proposal for the Spanish left back wanted by Xabi Alonso.’

The Italian transfer insider quoted that post on Sunday with a ‘soon’ emoji with an hourglass, presumably counting down to confirmation of their tenth signing.

And now Spanish newspaper Marca has revealed that Chavarria is ‘already in London’ to complete his medical with an official announcement ‘in the coming hours’.

The report adds: ‘Rayo Vallecano has secured its biggest summer sale: Pep Chavarría. The full-back from Figueres is joining Chelsea for €25 million plus bonuses, becoming Rayo’s most expensive sale ever. The deal will be officially announced in the coming hours, once the clubs finalise the last details.

‘Despite Rayo Vallecano demanding a higher fee ( his release clause is set at €50 million), an agreement has finally been reached with the London club for €25 million less . The left-back has reached his best form this season.’

Arsenal legend Paul Merson was recently shocked by Chelsea’s £117m deal to sign Rogers from Aston Villa after the Blues beat the Gunners to the signing.

Merson said on Sky Sports: “It’s a lot of money. Crazy money. Bringing Morgan Rogers in for £117m isn’t what Chelsea needed.

“They’ve got Cole Palmer! They play in the same position! Rogers went to the World Cup instead of Palmer, because they play in the same position.

“Unless Chelsea go for the almighty and sell Enzo Fernandez – and swallow the pill for him, because he’s not worth £100m – and then play Moises Caicedo at the base, then Rogers and Palmer both ahead of him.

“But Joao Pedro is also a No 10. So with Joao Pedro, Rogers and Palmer, Chelsea have bought an attacking midfielder when they already have two very good ones.

“Where’s Palmer going to be? Stuck out on the right again? He’s wasted in that position. And if Rogers is played out on the right – no disrespect, but there are a lot better right wingers than him out there.

“For me, Rogers is a No 10. He’s at his absolute best in open play. When the game gets broken up and he’s running with the ball, he’s very good at that.

“But he won’t get that at Chelsea. At Stamford Bridge, opposition teams kick off and sit 10 behind the ball. There’s no space.

“And Rogers has got to carry that price tag around with him. He will sit there and say: ‘there is no pressure on me, I didn’t pay that fee’. But it’s a load of rubbish. Everybody will look at that when you don’t do well.

“A lot of people were saying it was too much for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo when they moved for £100m. But the biggest compliment I can give them is nobody ever mentions it. They were good signings. That’s what Rogers has got to hope for.

“But he’s got to make things happen, which is a harder position to be in than Rice and Caicedo were. In midfield, you can do this and that – but Rogers will be judged on scoring and creating goals. That’s the hardest job in the world.

“I’m also sure that at the start of last season, he was atrocious for Aston Villa. I’m sure he was. Then he came good and then had a good second part of the season.

“He can’t play like that at Chelsea. That is an absolute no-go, it’s a different ball game when you go for that kind of money.”