Enzo Maresca will welcome Aaron Anselmino to Chelsea after cutting his loan move short (Image: Getty)
boss is reportedly set to welcome signing Aaron Anselmino into his first-team squad this week after recalling the teenage talent from his loan at Boca Juniors.
Anselmino signed for the Blues in August before being sent back to his boyhood club on a season-long loan. have now decided to terminate that agreement early and bring in the 19-year-old defender six months ahead of schedule.
According to , Anselmino will be in London by the end of this week and join up with his new team-mates at Cobham early next week. His arrival will be greeted by excitement from fans, who will hope the Argentina-born prospect goes on to become a rising star in the .
Whether Anselmino joining will spell the end for an existing Blues defender remains to be seen. Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile can all play centre-back in Maresca’s system.
And Anselmino will not want to go from playing senior football with Boca to playing youth football at . The youngster suffered a hamstring injury last month, and it is unclear whether he will be available for Maresca to select straight away.
Anselmino is not the only youngster to be recalled by this winter. Gabriel Slonina is also back at the Bridge after suffering a finger ligament injury on loan at Barnsley, where he had been playing regularly in League One.
Aaron Anselmino is heading to Chelsea six months ahead of schedule (Image: Getty)
Slonina will continue his recovery in London, and could find him a new loan destination before the January transfer window shuts. The Blues signed the United States international goalkeeper for in 2022 before sending him back on loan to Chicago Fire.
He spent last season as the No. 1 at Belgian side Eupen before being given a taste of English football with Barnsley.
have loaned out a whole host of other promising stars, who are all fighting to prove they have what it takes to challenge for a spot in Maresca’s first team.
Goalkeeper Mike Penders, 19, has been tipped for a bright future once he completes his time with Genk. The likes of Alfie Gilchrist, Andrey Santos and Lesley Ugochukwu are also in with a chance of fighting their way in from the fringes.
Meanwhile senior stars like Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja, Trevoh Chalobah and Kepa Arrizabalaga could be moved on permanently at the end of the season to make room for the youngsters on ‘s books.