Chelsea have approached Palmeiras over the potential signing of Gustavo Gomez, who also plies his trade for the Paraguayan national team.
According to a report from Paraguayan news outlet, Versus La Nacion, Chelsea have enquired about the availability of Gustavo Gomez in the upcoming summer transfer window. It appears the Premier League outfit has harboured quite an interest in the Palmeiras centre-back, who is best known for his plaudits with the Paraguayan national team.
Although Gomez has played the majority of his footballing career in South America, he was, for a time, a member of the AC Milan squad, when he joined the club in 2016. The 28-year-old was even involved in 16 Serie A matches in 2016/17 campaign, but never really managed to make an impact.
As a result, the former Libertad starlet was sent out on to Palmeiras in 2018, with the Brazilian club eventually securing his services permanently last summer – for a fee of just €2 million. It has turned out to be a massive bargain, as the 28-year-old has proven to be a defensive lynchpin for Palmeiras, forming a solid partnership alongside Luan Teixeira and Renan Silva last year.
Gomez has also starred for Paraguay, especially in the early stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. His formidable understanding with Junior Alonso and Fabian Balbuena were, in fact, vital in helping his country remain sturdy at the back, losing just once in the first six matches.
Gomez’s contributions have not gone unnoticed it seems, with Chelsea now mulling over a move for the Palmeiras centre-back. It is an interesting option from Thomas Tuchel, but perhaps not a surprising one, as the German tactician needs to be creative in the current state of the transfer market.
The Blues have been linked with a variety of star performers in Europe, including VfL Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix and Inter Milan’s Achraf Hakimi. All of them are expected to cost a fortune, which makes Gomez all the more appealing for Chelsea, as the Paraguayan international is unlikely to attract a higher fee due to his lack of association with European football.
Chelsea Transfer Roundup: Hakimi pursuit continues, duo on Lazio radar and more
Chelsea’s verdict on Gustavo Gomez, however, might largely depend on how he performs in the upcoming Copa America. He is tipped to play a key role for his country, with Paraguay even being deemed as the dark horses by many experts, due to their sturdy defence and an exciting creative unit.
