Chelsea to welcome £16m star 'this week' as Enzo Maresca starts January with a bang

Posted Tuesday, December 31, 2024 by Express.co.uk

Chelsea have made a big decision on the eve of the January transfer window.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is reportedly set to welcome £16million signing Aaron Anselmino into his first-team squad this week after recalling the teenage talent from his loan at Boca Juniors.

Anselmino signed for the Blues in August before being sent back to his boyhood club on a season-long loan. Chelsea have now decided to terminate that agreement early and bring in the 19-year-old defender six months ahead of schedule.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Anselmino will be in London by the end of this week and join up with his new team-mates at Cobham early next week. His arrival will be greeted by excitement from fans, who will hope the Argentina-born prospect goes on to become a rising star in the Premier League.

Whether Anselmino joining will spell the end for an existing Blues defender remains to be seen. Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile can all play centre-back in Maresca's system.

And Anselmino will not want to go from playing senior football with Boca to playing youth football at Chelsea. The youngster suffered a hamstring injury last month, and it is unclear whether he will be available for Maresca to select straight away.

Anselmino is not the only youngster to be recalled by Chelsea this winter. Gabriel Slonina is also back at the Bridge after suffering a finger ligament injury on loan at Barnsley, where he had been playing regularly in League One.

Chelsea to welcome £16m star 'this week' as Enzo Maresca starts January with a bang
Aaron Anselmino is heading to Chelsea six months ahead of schedule

Slonina will continue his recovery in London, and Chelsea could find him a new loan destination before the January transfer window shuts. The Blues signed the United States international goalkeeper for £12m in 2022 before sending him back on loan to Chicago Fire.

He spent last season as the No. 1 at Belgian side Eupen before being given a taste of English football with Barnsley.

Chelsea have loaned out a whole host of other promising stars, who are all fighting to prove they have what it takes to challenge for a spot in Maresca's first team.

Goalkeeper Mike Penders, 19, has been tipped for a bright future once he completes his time with Genk. The likes of Alfie Gilchrist, Andrey Santos and Lesley Ugochukwu are also in with a chance of fighting their way in from the fringes.

Meanwhile senior stars like Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja, Trevoh Chalobah and Kepa Arrizabalaga could be moved on permanently at the end of the season to make room for the youngsters on Chelsea's books.