Chelsea have completed the signing of Pep Chavarria in a five-year deal worth about £16.3m plus a further £1.7m in add-ons. The 28-year-old left-back joins from Rayo Vallecano after a career that took a longer route to the top than most, with the player not making his La Liga debut until he was 24.
Chavarria said he was excited to get started, describing the move as a dream given Chelsea’s status as one of the biggest clubs in the world. He said he felt prepared and would work hard to help the team achieve success.
From Catalonia’s lower leagues to the top flight
Born in Figueres in Catalonia, Chavarria played for his hometown club before moving to Olot, where he built his reputation in Spain’s lower tiers. A move to Real Zaragoza in 2020 gave him his first taste of professional football at a bigger club, and after two seasons in Spain’s second division he joined Rayo Vallecano in 2022, initially for less than £2m.
At Vallecas, Chavarria developed into a dependable top-flight full-back, making 125 appearances and becoming a regular on the left side of defence. He produced an excellent defensive performance against Real Madrid at Vallecas in November, in a game overseen by Xabi Alonso, who was then in charge of Real Madrid. That display reportedly left an impression on Alonso, who made Chavarria a key target after being appointed Chelsea manager. Chavarria also started for Rayo in last season’s Conference League final, which they lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace.
His arrival alongside new right-back Marco Palestra, who joined Chelsea for £47m from Atalanta in July, gives Alonso the chance to replicate the wing-back system he used to help Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga title in 2024. The signing also adds depth at left-back following Marc Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid in June for £51.8m.
A difficult deal to conclude
Chelsea were initially told by Rayo Vallecano that they would not sell Chavarria unless his release clause, now worth £42.4m, was met. Multiple BBC Sport sources described talks as complicated, with Rayo insistent on the release clause being paid in full.
Sources at Rayo argued the price was justified, claiming Chavarria’s underlying statistics show he plays at a similar level to Cucurella. He scored once and made three assists in all competitions last season, creating 27 chances from open play in La Liga.
Chavarria also had four years remaining on his contract, and Rayo’s successful player-trading model had left the club in a strong financial position, allowing them to resist offers in a similar way to Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Rayo’s profitability also means the club would be liable for a 25% tax charge on any additional profit generated from a sale, reducing the net value of any fee received.
