Chelsea in negotiations with Boca Juniors to lower Anselmino's asking price

Chelsea are in talks with Argentine club Boca Juniors to lower their asking price for teenage defender Aaron Anselmino, according to reports.

The Blues have increasingly tapped into the South American market under new ownership and have already signed Estevao Willian, Andrey Santos, Kendry Paez, Angelo Gabriel and Deivid Washington from the continent.

Anselmino appears to be the club's next South American target as the Blues continue their recruitment drive to land top young talents from around the world.

Chelsea negotiates Anselmino's asking price with Boca Juniors

The Blues reportedly began initial talks with Boca Juniors for the 19-year-old last week, with reports in Argentina suggesting they had launched an opening bid of around £14million, although this did not not been confirmed by Chelsea.

Anselmino has risen through the ranks of the Argentine club, but despite making just ten first-team appearances, he is attracting interest from some big clubs.

The Argentine, who can also play in midfield, signed a new contract in January 2023 which ties him to Boca until 2028.

Chelsea value his services and are trying to get ahead of any competition for Anselmino, but Simon Johnson reported in The Athletic that there was a sticking point with the deal.

He wrote:

“Boca Juniors are ready to sell defender Aaron Anselmino for around £20 million. Chelsea are in talks but for a lower amount.

The plan for Anselmino is unclear, and given the defensive options available to the club, it seems highly unlikely he will break into the first team, with a loan move to Strasbourg the obvious move if the Blues do a deal .

Chelsea have already signed a centre-back this summer with Tosin Adarabioyo arriving on a free transfer from neighbors Fulham, but fans will want to see more first-team signings rather than signings for the future.