Chelsea have announced the return of Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors. The defender, who was signed for £15.6million from Argentina last summer, had been loaned back to Boca.
Rumours began circulating in late December that the 19 year old would cut short his loan with the Buenos Aires club. On Friday, Chelsea confirmed that Anselmino will rejoin the squad at Cobham following the end of the 2023/24 season in Argentina.
According to FootballLondon, the young player's development plan includes integration into Enzo Maresca's first team. The decision clearly shows the club's emerging belief that Maresca is the real deal, and the ideal man to get his hands on the starlets to began cultivating them on British shores.
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Despite being a teenager in a new country, it is understood that there is no immediate pressure on him to perform. Currently, Chelsea has five central defenders, although Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile are injured.
Boca Juniors president, Juan Roman Riquelme, has predicted a bright future for Anselmino, stating on ESPN: "He has developed a lot," and "With the growth, the head that he has and the desire to learn that he shows, he is on his way to being a great footballer.
"He is going to be a player for the national team. He is going to compete with the centre-backs."
Unfortunately, Anselmino missed Boca's final six games of 2024 due to a hamstring injury. His signing continues the trend of Chelsea acquiring promising young talent under Todd Boehly's leadership.
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Following the ink seal on a mammoth seven-year deal in August, the central defender is earmarked for further growth on English soil.
With both Fofana and Badiashile sidelined for a "long period", chances may well arise for a breakthrough into the spotlight this season.
