Chelsea set to clinch deal to sign Rayo Vallecano left-back Chavarria

Chelsea are set to clinch a deal to sign Rayo Vallecano left-back Pep Chavarria for a fee of around £16.3m (€19m) plus add-ons.

Both clubs are finalising the last details of the transfer. Negotiations between the two clubs have been ongoing for more than a month, with Chelsea identifying Chavarria as the replacement for Marc Cucurella following his move to Real Madrid.

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At 28, Chavarría offers the experience Chelsea have been looking to add to their youthful squad this summer.

The full-back featured in 44 games in all competitions for Rayo Vallecano last season.

Chavarria started for Rayo Vallecano in last season's Conference League final, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.

Rising up with Rayo Vallecano

Analysis by Sky Sports' Adam Bate:

It is perhaps telling that Andoni Iraola was in charge at Rayo when Chavarria was brought to the club in 2022. He is a coach who values players who can bring real intensity to a team's performance. Iraola loves his full-backs to overlap and Chavarria can do that.

He has since shown that he can do more than just get up and down the flank, becoming more comfortable underlapping or stepping into midfield, adding elements to his game. But that reputation as one of the hardest-working full-backs in LaLiga is what underpins it all.

Inigo Perez has helped bring more from Chavarria during their three seasons together at Rayo. The player naturally describes him as the best coach that he has worked with, allowing him to flourish as a modern full-back involved in all aspects of the team's play.

Stats that show what he can do

Analysis by Sky Sports' Adam Bate:

Chavarria was a key outlet for Rayo Vallecano last season, having over 2000 touches in LaLiga and supplying a stream of crosses from the wing.

Chavarria ranked among the top dozen players in the competition for crosses from open play and corners won. But it was a dual role for Rayo because he was also among the top dozen players for blocking crosses and winning possession in the defensive third.

Are we talking about a player with a wand of a left foot who can be Chelsea's creator in the way that Alex Grimaldo was for Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen out on the left? Probably not. But as a willing runner who stretches the play, his could still be an important role.