Chelsea in race with Barcelona to sign ‘new Marcelo’ as Boehly searches for another wonderkid

Chelsea are reportedly in a race with Barcelona to sign the ‘new Marcelo’ after making his breakthrough for Santos this season.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side are in the market for a new full-back as they look to offload fringe player Ben Chilwell in 2025.

While they have Marc Cucurella as their first-choice option, the Blues could do with more competition in that area of the park – particularly after selling Lewis Hall to Newcastle United earlier this year.

As a result, the Stamford Bridge side have been linked with Santos star Joao Victor de Souza, who has caught the eye of many teams this term.

According to AS, the 18-year-old is wanted by Todd Boehly’s Chelsea and Barcelona, along with an unnamed Saudi Pro League outfit.

Potential suitors are said to be keen on signing him in January or next summer, when he will become a free agent. Although the Brazilian Serie B team want to extend his contract, the report adds that ‘everything will depend’ on interim manager Leandro Zago.

AS state that a ‘star is born in Brazil’, with some naming him as the heir apparent to former Real Madrid left-back and Brazilian legend Marcelo.

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Chelsea look to South American wonderkids

The Blues seem increasingly intent on snapping up some of the brightest young talent Brazil has to offer.

Chelsea confirmed they had struck an agreement with Brazilian top-flight team Palmeiras to sign Estevao Willian earlier this year, with the 17-year-old set to head to Stamford Bridge when the forward turns 18 next summer.

Gremio wonderkid Gabriel Mec, 16, has reportedly agreed to head to Chelsea as well when he turns 18 in 2026 and they have also been tracking Santos talent Joao Pedro Chermont.

The Premier League side are understood to have had a bid of €6 million (£5m, $6.6m) rejected for the teenager but that may not have ended their interest in him.

Now, Souza, who has been with Santos since the age of nine, is the next Brazilian prodigy they are after. After being handed his first-team debut by former manager Fabio Carille, he has starred for the Peixe, and helped Brazil win the 2023 Under-17 South American championship.

If he can enjoy a career anything like the one Marcelo did – with the full-back winning five Champions League titles with Madrid – Souza is likely to have a very respectable career.

Chelsea may offload £45m man

Blues left-back Chilwell is reportedly ‘frustrated’ with his lack of game time under head coach Enzo Maresca and wants to leave the club in 2025 – five years on from signing from Leicester City for £45m (€54m, $56.8m).

Reports suggest Juventus are interested in recruiting the 27-year-old, whose contract runs until 2027, on loan in the January transfer window.

Elsewhere, TEAMtalk exclusively revealed that Chelsea are in a race with two other Premier League sides for Bournemouth centre-back Illia Zabarnyi.

The 22-year-old Ukraine international, whose contract runs until 2029, is also wanted by Tottenham and Manchester City.

Meanwhile, midfielder Cesare Casadei looks set to leave the club next year, with AC Milan interested in the 21-year-old. He is yet to make a Premier League start for the Blues since signing from Inter Milan in 2022.