Chelsea could announce the signing of sensational player with £21m release clause

Chelsea have made contact to enquire about a deal to bring an exciting teenager to the Premier League, according to a reliable reporter.

The Blues are mostly looking to strengthen their goalkeeping and attacking departments during the upcoming window, with reports suggesting that the board are preparing an offer for Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale and are interested in a move for Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez.

While Todd Boehly and Mauricio Pochettino are considering their options as to who they could sign to strengthen the team in the here and now, they will also have an eye on if there are any available youngsters out there as they look to build a squad for the long-term future of the club.

River Plate’s attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri has emerged as a potential target, with the 17-year-old attacking midfielder having worked his way up through his outfit’s various youth ranks to eventually get promoted to their senior first-team (Transfermarkt - Echeverri statistics).

Argentina’s youth international is set to reach the expiration of his deal in December 2024 (River Plate contracts), and with the teenager having been nicknamed the next Lionel Messi, he’s caught the attention of the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea plotting swoop for Echeverri

Taking to X, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Chelsea are interested in Echeverri and have already approached River Plate to make their admiration known, although they are set to face stiff competition from two other clubs who are also keen to secure his services.

“Understand both Chelsea and Man City have made contact to be informed on Claudio Echeverri situation. Barcelona remain keen but structure of the deal makes it complicated with Financial Fair Play. Release clause: €25m (£21m), up to €30m (£25m) in the final days of the market.”

Across all competitions for Argentina’s U17s, Echeverri has posted a remarkable 18 contributions (13 goals and five assists) from 22 appearances, showing how prolific he can be in the final third, but he’s also able to dictate the game with the ball at his feet.

The Resistencia native is currently recording a 91.1% pass success rate in the league, highlighting how calm and composed he can be in possession, not to mention how much this helps when linking up the play with his fellow teammates in the attacking areas of the pitch (WhoScored - Echeverri statistics).

Sponsored by Adidas, Pochettino’s target already knows what it takes to compete and be successful having been crowned Argentinian Champion with River Plate, alongside being named the U17s South American Championship top goalscorer individually.

For all of the positive qualities that he possesses at such a young age, Jacek Kulig, who is a football talent scout, has hailed Echeverri a “crazy talent”, and with the bags of potential that he has to offer, he could be a fantastic recruit in years to come for Chelsea.