Chelsea could trigger a €25 million release clause to sign Claudio Echeverri and beat competition from the likes of Real Madrid.
According to Defensa Central, Chelsea could find themselves in the pole position for Claudio Echeverri ahead of their rivals. The Blues could trigger the €25 million clause in the 17-year-old Real Madrid target’s contract, which could give them the lead in the chase.
Chelsea are not about to pause their pursuit of talented youngsters, as they continue to keep constant tabs on the development of some top names in that market. The Blues have been active in South America since their new owners took over, and now they have another prospective deal in the pipeline.
In the last 18 months, the Blues have spent over a billion pounds on new players, most of them under the specified age of 25. There have been plenty of teenagers and prospects for the youth sides, for which they have come under criticism as Chelsea cannot improve their current standing in the Premier League.
Now, 17-year-old Real Madrid target Claudio Echeverri becomes the latest name to emerge on their shortlist ahead of the January transfer window from South America. The Blues are neck-in-neck with some of the biggest clubs in football, with Real Madrid and Manchester City among those interested.
Chelsea have kept tabs and followed up on the player’s situation over at River Plate. The Blues are keen on bringing him to Stamford Bridge but face the formidable task of convincing the player to choose them over clubs like Manchester City, who are interested, as well as Real Madrid.
Real Madrid pose a more significant threat to Chelsea’s chances for the 17-year-old, as Florentino Perez has had eyes for the Echeverri for some time now. There are questions about whether Real Madrid would pay up the €25 million release clause in his River Plate contract.
Chelsea, for their part, are open to triggering it and paying River Plate the €25 million they need. As per Transfermarkt, Echeverri’s current value is barely around €4 million. But in these cases, it’s about what the teenager can bring in the future.
Hence, for Chelsea or even Manchester City, the €25 million price would only bother a little when it comes to investing in top talents. City are already in the Argentine market for left-back Valentin Barco, along with Chelsea.
Overall, Chelsea have possibly found themselves in pole position for Echeverri ahead of the January window. The 17-year-old will enter the final year of his deal, but River Plate will not settle for anything less than his current release clause.
