Chelsea table €8 million bid for Barcelona and Real Madrid transfer target - Reports
According to AS, Chelsea have tabled an €8 million bid for 17-year-old Brazilian full-back Pedro Lima. The talented South American is also reportedly on the radar of European powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Since the takeover by Todd Boehly and Co., the Blues have aggressively targeted talented youngsters in the transfer market. They signed Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer last summer and the duo have made a massive impact on their 2023/24 season. Chelsea have also kept a keen eye on the South American market, having already secured the services of Andrey Santos and reportedly being close to signing Estevao Willian from Athletico Paranaense.
Lima has made 24 appearances already for Sport Recife, bagging two goals and two assists. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) also reportedly want to sign the youngster, which could spark a bidding war this summer.
Chelsea will hope they can wrap up the signing quickly, with Lima's representatives and the club expected to communicate terms imminently. Similar to the Blues' captain and first-choice right-back Reece James, Pedro Lima is an attack-minded full-back and ranks highly for touches in the opposition penalty area.
Former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas not returning to the club as a coach under Maresca
According to Simon Johnson of The Athletic, former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas will not return to west London as a member of Enzo Maresca's backroom staff. The Spaniard was recently spotted at Cobham, but has been ruled out of a return at this time.
The former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder hung up his boots last summer while playing for Serie B side Como and was appointed interim coach for seven games in October. However, due to not having the required coaching license, he stepped back to be an assistant to Welsh manager Osian Roberts who secured promotion to Serie A.
Roberts has been promoted to an upstairs role at the Italian club and Fabregas is widely expected to be announced as the new head coach. The Spaniard was therefore believed to be at his former club to see if he can secure any loan signings for Como in the coming weeks. It is unlikely that the former midfielder would pass up on the opportunity to manage in the Italian top flight to take a step backward and become an assistant again.