Chelsea land ANOTHER Brazilian starlet! Gabriel Mec follows Estevao Willian in signing pre-agreement as Blues strike £20.5m deal with Gremio

Not content with the £56m ($71.5m) signing of Palmeiras' Estevao Willian, the west London club have splashed a further £17m ($22m) on his compatriot, a young attacking midfielder who is yet to make a professional appearance in Gremio's Mec, according to Globo. That fee could rise to £20.5m with add-ons. The Under-20 international player is set to remain in Brazil until he turns 18 in 2026, at which point he'll depart for London.

Mec is the latest young talent to join Chelsea as they look to build for the future and invest in players they expect to grow and develop significantly in the coming years. The price tag they've slapped on this youth player is an indication that they've got high expectations, and the club hierarchy will be keeping a keen eye on his movements as he looks to break into the Gremio first team before the Chelsea move in April 2026.

As Chelsea continue splashing cash on youngsters, they look set to lose one of their more experienced midfielders, England international Conor Gallagher. According to reports, the 24-year-old is set to travel to Spain to complete a transfer to Atletico Madrid.

Future-oriented signings like this will not sort out the immediate situation at Chelsea, which is uncertain to say the least. The club have had a disappointing pre-season, with new boss Enzo Maresca struggling to implement his playing style so far. They have two more friendlies to play, against Real Madrid and Inter, before their 2024-25 campaign kicks off with a tricky fixture against Manchester City.