Enzo Maresca and Chelsea have been busy in the transfer market as they aim to continue adding some of the world’s most talented wonderkids to their ranks
Chelsea are continuing to get their business taken care of early, following up their move for Geovany Quenda by wrapping up a deal for Dario Essugo.
Sporting CP teenager Quenda had been linked with a move to Manchester United after being handed his senior debut by current United boss Ruben Amorim. Chelsea have beaten them to the punch, though, with the 17-year-old set to sign a seven-year deal and spend next season in Lisbon before arriving in 2026.
Chelsea were already set to welcome two other wonderkids this summer, with deals agreed for Kendry Paez and Estevao Willian. Now, after bringing the total to three new faces with £40m starlet Quenda, they’re set to quickly make it four with a deal for Essugo.
Like Quenda, Essugo is on the books of Sporting. However, it’s his form on loan with Spanish side Las Palmas that has prompted the Blues to swoop.
According to The Mail, Essugo will join for £18.5million with no additional clauses or add-ons. The Portugal Under-21 international has predominantly featured as a deep-lying midfielder for Las Palmas this term and scored his first senior goal in a defeat to Mallorca in November.
He joins a wealth of midfield options at Chelsea, where Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia are among the senior stars signed for substantial fees. The Blues also signed Mathis Amougou from Saint-Etienne in February, with the French youngster making his Premier League debut in a victory over Southampton.
South American stars Estevao and Paez are both due to join the Blues in the summer of 2025 after turning 18. Both are already full senior internationals for Brazil and Ecuador, respectively.
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On the field, Chelsea still have work to do to make sure of Champions League qualification. They will end the weekend in fourth regardless of what happens in their London derby away at Arsenal, but defeat will leave the chasing pack within touching distance.
“The gap [to second-place Arsenal] right now is quite big, and the reason why is because they are working with the same manager for five years, so the difference is quite important,” Maresca told reporters ahead of the match. The gap stands at six points going into the game, but the two sides were level after their 1-1 draw in November.
“With the same players, they have already played in some important games, but our target and duty is to close that gap between us and them,” the Italian continued. “In this moment, the table shows the difference is six points, so we are quite close and have ten games to go.
“We’re not focused on whether they can be three, six or nine [points ahead]. We are focused on our game and how we try to beat them. Hopefully, we can beat them and we will be closer.”
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