Chelsea has announced the signing of Pep Chavarria from La Liga side Rayo Vallecano. The left-back has agreed to a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, with the transfer reportedly valued at an initial £16.3m, potentially rising by a further £1.7m in add-ons.
Chavarria, 28, expressed his excitement about the move, stating, “I’m so excited to get started. This is a dream for me as Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world. It is a big opportunity but I am prepared and will work hard to help the team achieve success.” He also acknowledged the support of his family, noting their role in his journey to this moment.
Chavarria’s journey to the top flight
Born in Figueres, Catalonia, Chavarria’s football career began with his hometown club, UE Figueres, then in the Spanish fourth tier. He made his senior debut at 18 years old. He later moved to UE Olot in 2018, where he became a key player in the third tier, making 52 appearances before joining Real Zaragoza in 2020.
His professional debut came the month after joining Zaragoza, in a 2-2 draw with Las Palmas. After two seasons in Spain’s second division with Zaragoza, Chavarria made the step up to La Liga, signing with Rayo Vallecano in August 2022. He did not make his La Liga debut until the age of 24.
During his four years at Rayo Vallecano, Chavarria became a regular presence on the left side of defence, making 125 appearances for the club. He contributed to Rayo’s success, including back-to-back eighth-place finishes in La Liga over the past two seasons and a spot in a European final.
Last season, Chavarria featured 44 times for Rayo, helping them reach the UEFA Conference League final, where they were defeated by Crystal Palace. He scored once and provided three assists in all competitions last season, creating 27 chances from open play in La Liga.
Impact at Chelsea
Chavarria’s arrival at Chelsea follows the departure of Marc Cucurella. He will compete with Jorrel Hato for a starting position. The signing also adds depth to the left-back role.
His performance against Real Madrid at Vallecas, where he faced Xabi Alonso‘s team, reportedly left an impression on Alonso. Alonso, now Chelsea manager, had Chavarria as a key target. The addition of Chavarria, alongside new right-back Marco Palestra, who joined Chelsea from Atalanta, provides Alonso with the opportunity to implement a wing-back system similar to the one that helped Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga title in 2024.
Negotiations for Chavarria’s transfer were described as “complicated” by sources, as Rayo Vallecano initially sought to have his release clause met. Rayo’s financial stability, partly due to their successful player-trading model, allowed them to resist offers for the player, who had four years remaining on his contract.
Chelsea are expected to focus on further player outgoings as Xabi Alonso looks to refine his squad. Following the departures of Andrey Santos, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrique George, and Trevoh Chalobah, several other players, including Pedro Neto, Malo Gusto, Josh Acheampong, Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, and Marc Guiu, face uncertain futures at the club.
Chavarria will begin working with his new teammates at Cobham as Chelsea prepares for the 2026/27 campaign.
Source: bbc.com
