It’s that odd period which comes every alternate summer, when the club season is over but the international tournament has yet to begin.
The transfer window feels like it’s on hold, while the national teams aren’t yet playing meaningful games. It’s a period of rumour and counter rumour, and the last 24 hours have been focused on another one of Chelsea’s potential South American acquisitions – Pedro Lima.
The right back has been linked with us for some time now. He’s still just 17, but like Andrey Santos whom we signed two years ago, he’s been showing what he can do in the Brazilian second division, and is looking primed for a move across to Europe the moment he’s 18.
Our writer Simon Phillips is joining in the clamour about his signing with a report today, saying his sources have “confirmed the interest and the move for Lima” which is being flagged heavily by top Spanish sources like Relevo.
Those Spanish reports point to the “Real Madrid” model we’re going for here – buying the best South American talent before the “middle-men” clubs get their hands on them, then developing them in house.
Real Madrid – or a different plan?
In Lima’s case, that could well be at Strasbourg. He’s a right back by trade, and we’ve already got two first team options there on the books, as well as central defenders capable of switching out there to fill in.
Lima is likely to be a few years away from first team readiness, and at Strasbourg he should get plenty of playing time in a league where he can shine and grow without immense pressure.
As Phillips says, we’ve had no specific indications that this is the plan, but it does seem to add up as an overall plan. Meanwhile, we will have to make do with the considerable talents of Reece James and Malo Gusto…
