Chelsea have looked to Spanish football in recent years for new signings, and that trend looks like it will be continuing in 2025. They eyed up multiple targets during the recent winter transfer window, and one of them will almost certainly be gone after in the summer.
Chelsea tried hard to sign Deportivo La Coruna winger Yeremay Hernandez in January, but ultimately, their pursuit was unsuccessful. On top of this, they were also after Dario Essugo, who has impressed this season with Las Palmas.
It was reported that Chelsea tried to sign Essugo before the deadline on Monday night, but like with Yeremay, they did not get their wish. This was good news for Las Palmas, who have managed to retain the services of the Portuguese pivot until the end of the season, at which point he will be back at parent club Sporting CP.
Las Palmas won’t be able to re-sign Essugo on a permanent basis, but Chelsea are hoping to prise him away from Sporting. As per Marca, they will try to sign the 19-year-old for a fee in the region of €25m.
Chelsea are the most interested in Essugo, but they are not alone in the race for his signature. The report states that Real Sociedad would like to keep him in La Liga, while the likes of West Ham United, AFC Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt and Napoli are also keen.
Essugo has impressed during his time in Gran Canaria, and it could be tough for Sporting to retain his services in the summer. He would be a very good replacement for Martin Zubimendi, who is expected to join Arsenal, although Chelsea are front-runners at this stage, despite already having the likes of Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez on their books.
