According to Football London, Chelsea are looking to sign 17-year-old Brazilian right-back Pedro Lima as they prepare a possible long-term replacement for James Reece.
The report says that Chelsea have started talks with the players' agent over a possible move to west London. However, the Blues face competition as Lima has also been linked with a move to city of manchester and has “scouts from all over the world” watching it.
Lima currently plays for Sport Recife in Serie B, whose general director, Joao Marcelo Barros, confirmed great interest in signing the player. He was quoted saying the following lines:
“There is nothing very new there. Scouts from all over the world have been watching. Maybe the news is not known, but this year many talent scouts have come from abroad.”
Chelsea have recently invested heavily in signing younger talent from South America and are looking to execute another low-risk transaction in response to their problems at right back.
The report suggests that Lima could be a “possible replacement for Reece James” after the Chelsea captain has endured a terrible time due to injuries making him unavailable for most of this season.
Chelsea would have Lima for 2024/25
FIFA rules allow clubs to sign players before they turn 18, however, they can only officially join the respective team upon reaching the legal age.
In the case of Pedro Lima, he will turn 18 on July 1 of this year, perfect in time to participate in Chelsea's preseason and be part of their squad for the 2024/25 season if he were to join the club.
Although he is not initially expected to make a breakthrough in the starting XI, Reece James can guide him and prepare him to take the reins in the coming years.
The England right-back's fitness will be particularly important in easing the pressure on Lima's shoulders if he does indeed arrive at Stamford Bridge this summer.
He is not the only South American that the blues follow closely. The report says they also want to sign the highly sought-after Estevao Willian for a fee rumored to reach £53m, so it could be a double whammy in the Brazilian market.
