Chelsea are set to face competition from Barcelona for the signature of Ivan Fresneda.
What’s the latest on Ivan Fresneda to Chelsea?
According to SPORT, the Blues' interest in the Real Valladolid prodigy may force Barcelona into an imminent decision.
Fresneda is looking to leave the Estadio Jose Zorrilla after relegation to the second tier and the club is working to find a quick resolution to the situation. The young right-back is looking to take the next step in his career and talks with Barcelona had been progressing well but have tailored off in recent weeks.
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The 18-year-old is valued at around €15m (£13m) but the LaLiga 2 side would be happy to accept an initial €10m (£9m) upfront with a further €5m (£4m) in additional payments.
Would Ivan Fresneda be a good signing for Chelsea?
Fresneda still emerged from the rubble of Valladolid’s relegation with a prestigious reputation and looks set to join a big European club this summer.
He has been described as a “complete” player by Matt Clark of the LaLiga Lowdown, who eulogised over the accomplished full-back:
“He is a remarkably complete right-back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too.
"He has that coveted combination of physicality and technical ability. Tall but agile, quick and athletic, he is also strong in the tackle and reads the game very well for someone so green when it comes to first-team football.”
The sentiment has been echoed by former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit, who added:
“He’s [Fresneda] powerful and has good technique. He gets forward well and has great energy.”
Fresneda’s defensive solidity has been especially apparent, as he ranks within the best 8% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for blocks and clearances per 90, as well as the top 20% for tackles per 90.
Last season, his supposed offensive talent wasn’t unlocked, as he failed to register any assists across 24 appearances.
However, this can largely be attributed to the ineptitude of his teammates, as his side managed just 33 goals in the league last term, the second-lowest figure in the division.
Nevertheless, his defensive qualities can still be championed and at such a raw age he has the potential to develop into a formidable talent.
From a Chelsea perspective, when you think of reliability, consistency, and defensive soundness – these three invaluable traits are synonymous with the recently-departed Cesar Azpilicueta.
The 33-year-old spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge, accumulating 508 appearances and winning nine trophies, including a Champions League and two Premier League titles.
The defender was labelled as a “warrior” and “loyal Chelsea legend” by the ownership. In a singular domestic campaign, he never made less than 25 appearances for the West Londoners and had been captain since 2019.
In the twilight days, his pace unsurprisingly wavered, but when he first arrived as a spritely 23-year-old he was renowned for his tenacity and energy, feverishly bounding down the touchline.
This was recognised by Juan Mata, who said:
“He is a strong running right-back who has pace as well, so I think he is already a complete player.”
Therefore, in the early stages of their respective careers, both Fresneda and Azpilicueta have been dubbed as ‘complete’, and although the youngster is still in the infancy of his career, he is on a frightening trajectory.
Chelsea are currently well-stocked at right-back, sporting the likes of Reece James and Malo Gusto. However, the Blues could benefit from Fresneda through its relationship with Strasbourg.
A loan at this early stage could be an intelligent move, allowing the player to develop within the multi-club project.