Chelsea have identified Rayo Vallecano left-back Pep Chavarria as a potential replacement for Marc Cucurella, according to Marca.
While the 28-year-old may not have been one of the biggest names in the spotlight, he has been one of the best under-the-radar fullbacks in Spain in recent seasons.
Since arriving from Real Zaragoza in 2022, Chavarria has featured in 125 games for Vallecano while providing ten goal contributions, playing in different positions on the left.
In the recently concluded season, he featured in 33 of Vallecano’s 38 La LaLiga games as they finished in eighth place and was also crucial in the Franjirrojos’ run to the UEFA Conference League final, where they lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace.
As of December 2025, the fullback’s 189 duels won ranked as the third most across Europe’s top five leagues, only behind Nottingham Forest’s duo of Elliot Anderson (195) and Nico Williams (189).
It’s no surprise his outstanding displays last season have piqued the interest of Chelsea, who are looking to bolster their backline.
Now, according to Marca, Chelsea have made Chavarria their ‘top choice’ to replace Marc Cucurella this summer.
It appears the London giants are looking to proactively seal the deal, as the report adds that the Blues have made contact to discuss the possibility of his transfer to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Chelsea are closely following the situation and could also launch a formal offer to sign the Spanish fullback, according to the report.
‘Top choice’
Ahead of next season, Chelsea currently have Jorrel Hato as a left-back option, while newly signed Marco Palestra is also another option for that position.
However, it appears Xabi Alonso is prioritising a specialist left-back, considering Hato is a natural left centre-back, while Palestra has mostly been utilised on the right.
This explains why the club is interested in Chavarria, who has played various positions on the left, including left wing-back, throughout his career.
Despite only netting one goal last season, which was a screamer from 25 yards out against Atletico Madrid, he is a constant attacking threat, as evidenced in his 18 shots last campaign.
At 28, he will also add experience to Chelsea’s young squad, a strategy the Blues are now pursuing following their interest in Granit Xhaka.
Another good factor in getting Chavarria is that the Blues will not have to break the bank to sign him, considering Vallecano are not expected to demand a fee exorbitantly above his £8m Transfermarkt valuation.
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