Chelsea have completed the signing of Spanish left-back Pep Chavarria from La Liga side Rayo Vallecano, with the 28-year-old putting pen to paper on a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea sign full-back Pep Chavarria on five-year deal
The deal, which runs until 2031, is understood to be worth an initial £16.3 million, with a further £1.7 million possible in add-ons.
Chavarria arrives as a direct replacement for Marc Cucurella, who departed for Real Madrid earlier this summer.
The Spaniard featured prominently for Rayo Vallecano last season, making 44 appearances across all competitions and helping his former club reach the Conference League final, where they narrowly lost to Crystal Palace.
He also contributed one goal and three assists as Rayo secured an eighth-place finish in La Liga.
Speaking after completing his move, Chavarria expressed his delight at joining one of the world’s biggest clubs.
“I’m so excited to get started,” he told Chelsea’s official website.
“This is a dream for me as Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world. It is a big opportunity but I am prepared and will work hard to help the team achieve success”.
The defender also credited new manager Xabi Alonso for bringing him to west London, describing it as “an honour” to play under the former Spain and Real Madrid midfielder.
Despite his age, Chavarria possesses only four seasons of top-flight experience, having moved from Segunda Division side Real Zaragoza to Rayo Vallecano in 2022.
His signing continues a clear shift in Chelsea’s recruitment policy under Alonso, following a dismal 2025-26 campaign that saw the club finish 10th in the Premier League.
The club’s hierarchy have moved away from targeting exclusively young, inexperienced players towards adding seasoned professionals who can help challenge for the title.
Chavarria becomes Chelsea’s third defensive signing of the summer, following right-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta and centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.
He is expected to compete with Jorrel Hato for the left full-back role. The Blues have also added experienced campaigners Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, while breaking their transfer record to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117 million.
Chelsea face Real Sociedad in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday before opening their Premier League campaign with a London derby against Fulham at Craven Cottage on 24 August.
