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Chelsea<\/b><\/a> are closing in on an agreement with Rayo Vallecano for defender Pep Chavarria.<\/b><\/p>\n The Blues, who have already agreed personal terms with the 28-year-old, are finalising a move worth about \u00a316.3m plus further add-ons, with all parties increasingly confident about striking a deal.<\/p>\n Left-back Chavarria is a key target for new manager Xabi Alonso having faced him while he was in charge of Real Madrid last season. <\/p>\n It has been almost a month since Chelsea<\/a> had an initial \u00a315m bid rejected by the La Liga club when talks began at the end of June.<\/p>\n Negotiations became protracted amid a belief at Chelsea<\/a> that Rayo were raising their valuation during the process, asking as much as the full \u00a342.8m release clause at one stage. <\/p>\n Chavarria made it clear to Rayo, who lost to Crystal Palace in the Conference League final in May<\/a>, that he wanted to move to Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n Alongside new right-back Marco Palestra, who joined Chelsea for \u00a347m<\/a> from Atalanta in July, Chavarria’s arrival would give Alonso the chance to replicate his wing-back system that helped Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga title in 2024.<\/a> <\/p>\n His signing also adds depth to the left-back position after Marc Cucurella joined Real Madrid in June for \u00a351.8m. <\/p>\n It is also another player with experience added to the squad, along with the signings of striker Danny Welbeck, 35, from Brighton<\/a> and Jordan Henderson, 36, after he cancelled his contract with Brentford<\/a>. <\/p>\n Chelsea<\/a> have also signed club-record \u00a3117m forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa<\/a> and defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace<\/a> for \u00a352m, with midfielder Valentin Barco expected to join from partner club Strasbourg imminently. <\/p>\n They are expected to focus on player sales in the coming weeks having reached an agreement to sell Trevoh Chalobah to Italian club Como 1907<\/a> for about \u00a331m. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n