Premier League club hijack Chelsea move to sign Blues target; reach transfer agreement: Fabrizio Romano
Chelsea have been beaten by fellow Premier League side Wolves in the race to sign Brazil U-17 international Pedro Lima after they reached an agreement with his club. Sport Recife have agreed to sell the teenage sensation to the Premier League side once he turns 18, a massive turnaround from what was expected.
Chelsea have been targeting Lima for weeks, and intended to sign the 17-year-old via sister club Strasbourg this summer. The right-back was left out of the squad for his club's most recent game, a 1-0 win over Mirassol, as he was thought to be closing in on a move to Strasbourg. He confirmed that a move to the French club was done before a huge twist today.
Fabrizio Romano reported that Wolves approached Sport Recife to hijack the deal today, offering to pay £8.5 million for the teenager on a six-year contract. The Brazilian club accepted the offer for their young full-back, who has also agreed personal terms with the Premier League side.
Wolves managed to pull off the deal due to their decision to offer a direct pathway to the youngster, who will join their first team once he turns 18 on July 1. Chelsea, on the other hand, wanted the youngster to join Strasbourg and develop in France before potentially moving to the Premier League.
Lima would have found himself behind Reece James and Malo Gusto, arguably two of the best right-backs in the league if he moved to Stamford Bridge. The youngster will be more content to sign for Wolves, where he can earn an opportunity to play regularly in England.
If all goes to plan, the right-back will be a Premier League player next season and will be the second summer addition for Wolves after Rodrigo Gomes. They signed the 20-year-old winger from Braga earlier in the window.
Chelsea hand talented teenager contract extension
Chelsea have handed a new contract to academy sensation Tyrique George ahead of the 2024-25 season. The Blues have succeeded in keeping George, who is regarded as one of the finest talents in their academy.
George has signed a three-year deal until 2027, with the club having an option for a further year in the contract. The 18-year-old has been with the Blues since the U-8s and became a key player for both the U-18s and U-21s last season, making 47 appearances.
During periods of injuries to Raheem Sterling and/or Mykhailo Mudryk, former Blues' boss Mauricio Pochettino occasionally named the teenager on the bench. He was in the squad for games against Everton, Aston Villa, and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and regularly trained with the first team.