Who is Aaron Anselmino? Chelsea 'open talks' over £13.4m transfer for latest Argentina wonderkid

Chelsea have reportedly entered the race to sign Boca Juniors defender Aaron Anselmino this summer.

According to reports in Argentina, the 19-year-old is subject to a £13.4m bid from the Blues with The Athletic stating that talks have now opened between the parties. It is believed that Enzo Maresca's side is willing to offer a four-year contract and that Chelsea 'know the conditions of any deal'.

While further information on what these conditions may be is unclear, it is often the case that young players purchased from South American clubs are sent back on loan following the agreement with a European club. This relationship benefits all involved as it allows for the teenager to gain first-team football rather than be forced into the Premier League 2.

Who is Aaron Anselmino?

Born in Bernardo Larroude, Argentina on April 29, 2005, the defender broke into the Boca team back in June 2023. However, he has only made 10 appearances for the senior team so far.

This is mainly due to Anselmino sustaining a torn muscular injury in mid-April, and he only recovered in early June. The Blues are by no means the first club to be linked with Anselmino. Manchester United were claimed to be interested in signing the Argentine back in January, but a move never materialised and he signed a contract extension on January 9 of this year. Anselmino's current contract with Boca runs until December 21, 2028.

It is understood that while his natural position is at centre-back, he can be utilised as a defensive midfielder. Anselmino's height is 1.86m/6'1", so it's safe to assume he won't face the sort of questions regarding his size that compatriot Lisandro Martinez did when he joined Manchester United.

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Boca president, Argentina icon and Pro Evolution Soccer legend Joan Roman Riquleme is a big fan. He said of Alnselmino: "He has developed a lot.

"With the growth, the head that he has and the desire to learn that he shows, he is on his way to being a great footballer. He is going to be a player for the national team. He is going to compete with the centre-backs."

Considering his limited first-team experience, it is widely expected that Anselmino will be a player for the future rather than an immediate starter in the Chelsea team. Given his age and experience, Chelsea could hypothetically be happy to allow the youngster to rejoin Boca on loan after a deal is agreed, or move to another club on a temporary contract to gain more experience.

Anselmino also boasts over 230,000 followers on Instagram, which would likely increase dramatically with a move to Chelsea given the club's global stature.