Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has revealed that Argentine centre-back Aaron Anselmino will train with the first team after being recalled early from his loan spell with Boca Juniors.
The exciting teenager, who came through Boca’s academy, officially signed with Chelsea in the summer in a deal worth around £17 million. It was quickly agreed that the defender would be sent on loan to his boyhood club for the following 12 months, but the Blues triggered a clause in that agreement that would see them bring their new signing to Stamford Bridge in January.
Anselmino’s early arrival coincides with the news that French centre-back Wesley Fofana is likely to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury. Fellow defender Benoit Badiashile is also out until February, giving Anselmino a clear route into the first-team squad – if not a potential starting place in cup competitions.
“Another talent, another good player,” Maresca told the media on Friday about the 19-year-old.
“The most important thing now is that he arrives here, settles in, finds a house and settles in properly. We then have to give it time because when you come from the other side of the world you have to adapt, see a new world, a new culture. Of course we will try to help him as quickly as possible.
Chelsea’s Italian coach added: “The plan at the moment is to keep him here so he can work with us and then make a decision.”
“If he is here it is because we think he is a good player and he can help us, but he is certainly very young and comes from Argentina, with a completely different culture, a different football, a different level, so he needs time to adjust.
Chelsea travel to Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon looking for a much-needed win after disappointingly picking up a point from their final three games of 2024.