3 Pep Chavarria alternatives for Chelsea as Rayo keep playing hard ball
Pep Chavarria alternatives Chelsea can consider with Rayo Vallecano demanding his full release clause, while the Blues remain reluctant to meet the £42.4 million fee.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Pep Chavarria has stalled, with Rayo Vallecano insisting on his full £42.4m release clause despite an improved £21.2m offer from the Blues.
Talks have been described as complicated, and negotiations remain ongoing, but the growing gap between valuations will ultimately force Chelsea to look elsewhere for a cost effective option.
Xabi Alonso had initially championed Chavarria as a cost-effective option, freeing up budget for other priority areas like midfield and central defence, but with Rayo unwilling to budge, Chelsea’s recruitment team have quietly kept tabs on other left-back targets throughout the process.
Three names have emerged as potential fallback options, and it includes a former Chelsea Academy star, Lewis Hall, as well as Maxi Araujo and Alvaro Carreras, each offering a different profile, price tag and level of risk.
3 Pep Chavarria alternatives for Chelsea
1. Lewis Hall of Newcastle United
A boyhood Chelsea player before his sale to Newcastle United in 2024, Hall has since developed into one of the Premier League’s better full-backs, and a return would carry emotional weight.
However, Chelsea’s ownership were the same group who pushed him out, making a buyback feel awkward and unlikely, but acting as a manager, Xabi Alonso will have no problems bringing him back, if an agreement can be reached with Newcastle.
Manchester United also retain interest in Hall and can offer Champions League football, potentially giving them the upper hand if a transfer battle materialises.
2. Maxi Araujo of Sporting CP
Maxi Araujo carries an €80m release clause, which could make a deal for the Sporting CP wingback even more difficult as his real valuation sits closer to €35m-€50m.
Versatile enough to play left-back or left wing-back, the Uruguayan international would suit Alonso if he reverts to the back-three system he favoured at Bayer Leverkusen.
Interestingly, Manchester United have also made inquiries about Araujo since May, adding competition, while his price tag likely exceeds what Chelsea originally hoped to spend on a Cucurella replacement.
3. Alvaro Carreras of Real Madrid
Alvaro Carreras is a familiar player for Xabi Alonso, who signed and manager him at Real Madrid last season, and he offers positional versatility, including cover at centre-back.
With Cucurella’s arrival at the Bernabéu limiting his game time, a move to Chelsea would reunite him with his old coach, and give him a platform to continue his development with less pressure with teammates of equal status.
Madrid have previously called Carreras untouchable, though reports suggest Chelsea have made checks on his availability, with a loan move floated as a lower-risk alternative to a permanent deal.
