Just when it’s thought that Chelsea’s transfer activity was complete, the Blues pop up again to capture additional reinforcements in their ranks.
Todd Boehly has already exceeded the £400m mark this summer, however another target has emerged as a talent that could be of significant worth to Mauricio Pochettino in the future.
Who could Chelsea sign on deadline day?
It’s once again set to be a busy final day of the transfer window for the west Londoners, with Cole Palmer unveiled as a Chelsea player this morning after reaching a deal in the region of £45m for the forward with Manchester City.
Meanwhile, journalist Bruno Andrade has pointed at Corinthians midfielder Gabriel Moscardo as a likely new signing before tonight's 11pm deadline
Taking to social media, Andrade relayed that the Brazilian teen is “one step away” from joining Chelsea, who are willing to pay a fee amounting to €25m (£21m) for the 17-year-old prospect.
It’s added that the midfielder would remain at Corinthians until next summer to continue his development.
Who is Gabriel Moscardo?
Born in 2005, the Brazilian is highly-rated in his homeland, hence the Blues’ interest in capturing his signature on deadline day.
Deployed in central midfield, with the ability to play in both the number six and eight roles, the teen could be a valuable asset for Pochettino to add to his ranks to integrate in the future.
Representing Corinthians in the Brazilian Serie A, the 17-year-old is already playing senior football, making the move from the club’s academy to the first team last month.
In five Serie A appearances for Timao, the dynamic midfielder has shown his strengths in all decimals attributive to orchestrating the engine room, as highlighted by his averages.
As per Sofascore, in his five Serie A starts in 2023 for his side, the Brazilian has averaged 2.8 tackles and 5.8 recoveries per game, as well as maintaining a passing accuracy rate of 82%.
Such numbers signify his combative nature and ability to retain the ball in the middle of the park in a crucial area to protect the back line.
Having been lauded as “very exciting” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, Moscardo is certainly one for the future for Chelsea, with his playing style and skill set similar to that of Enzo Fernandez.
With the Argentine only being 22 years of age himself, adding and integrating the 17-year-old so soon could see him one day become the eventual heir to the Blues’ £106.8m man.
In his debut campaign last season, Fernandez averaged a pass completion rate of 89%, as well as averaging 2.5 tackles per game, communicating his similarities in strengths to the young Brazilian.
Their playing styles are highlighted once more through their ball-carrying abilities, with Moscardo averaging 1.6 successful dribbles to game, similar to that of the Argentine last campaign who averaged 0.9 per game in the Premier League.
While Fernandez is, as expected, a far more complete article to the teenager, the signs are there that the youngster could one day fulfil the potential to be the club’s eventual heir to the 22-year-old warrior and is another 'one for the future' after the arrival of Palmer today.