Chelsea close in on La Liga star in double Sporting Lisbon swoop

Chelsea are planning to get their transfer business completed early for the 2025/26 season with two moves close to completion for Enzo Maresca.

The Blues are battling to secure the Premier League’s likely fifth UEFA Champions League qualification spot in the campaign run-in.

That will have a key impact on their ability to finance certain transfer moves and attract key squad targets with two players from Sporting Lisbon on the horizon at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca’s charges have already agreed a deal for highly-rated wing back Geovany Quenda to join at the end of the season despite interest from former boss Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.

The next move from Maresca will be for Dario Essugo who is impressing on loan at La Liga relegation battlers Las Palmas this season.

It was reported Chelsea tried to sign Essugo before the winter transfer window closed at the start of February but they were unable to tie up a deal.

That was a positive for Las Palmas, who managed to hold on to the 20-year-old until the end of the season, as they look to fight for top-flight survival.

Essugo will not remain at Las Palmas in any scenario and Chelsea are ready to launch a €22m raid on the Portugal U21 international.

Reports from Portuguese outlet A Bola claim the combined deal for Quenda and Essugo will bring in around €51m to Sporting Lisbon as they aim to boost a delicate financial situation.

Essugo’s spot at Las Palmas remains unchanged for now after they snatched a dramatic 2-2 home draw with Alaves in their final game before the international break.

With ten games left to play in 2024/25, Las Palmas are currently two points away from safety, with six teams still in relegation danger including Valencia, Espanyol, Alaves, Leganes and Real Valladolid.