Chelsea have made an enquiry for free agent Mario Hermoso over a possible move to Stamford Bridge.
Mario Hermoso, 29, was released by Atletico Madrid upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2023/24 season. The experienced Spaniard’s free-agency status have attracted huge interest from different parts of Europe. Napoli have made direct contact with the centre-back and his agents in the last 48 hours, with new boss Antonio Conte telling him to wait for the Serie A club’s official offer.
Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are also vying for Hermoso’s signature. Chelsea are reportedly the latest entrant in the race to sign the five-cap Spain international, who spent five seasons with Atletico Madrid after arriving from Espanyol. He made 174 appearances across all competitions for Diego Simeone’s side, scoring 10 goals.
Chelsea continue rebuilding their squad under Enzo Maresca
Chelsea have already enjoyed a busy summer transfer window, with six fresh faces arriving through the front door of Stamford Bridge and more expected shortly. A lot of transfer business is seemingly yet to be done, as new manager Enzo Maresca looks to rebuild the squad after replacing Mauricio Pochettino at the helm.
The Pensioners lost seasoned campaigner Thiago Silva earlier this summer and have filled his void by snapping up Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from rivals Fulham. Renato Veiga, having arrived from FC Basel, will serve as a left-footed defender Enzo Maresca was so keen to add to his squad. The acquisitions of Adarabioyo and Veiga mean Chelsea are now stocked in the centre-back department and seemingly don’t need another body unless someone departs.
The Blues are ready to part ways with Trevoh Chalobah this summer. The 25-year-old is no longer part of the club’s project and the defender being a homegrown player means his sale will result in pure profit on their books. By offloading Chalobah, Chelsea could look to bring in Hermoso.
An experienced defender, Hermoso can operate as both centre-back and left-back. Renowned for his aggressive, no-nonsense defending and leadership skills, the 29-year-old could add a lot of value to Chelsea’s backline and improve their squad depth. Having won the La Liga title with Atletico Madrid, the Spaniard’s presence on and off the pitch could make a lot of difference for Maresca’s side keen to get back into the Champions League.
On a free transfer, Hermoso’s addition makes complete sense for Chelsea. He is at the peak of his powers and would be ready to test himself in the Premier League after spending his entire career in Spain.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.