Chelsea is closing up on a different teenage Brazilian! Blues and Gremio agree on a deal, and the parties begin €20 million negotiations over

According to reports, Chelsea and Gabriel Mec have come to an agreement, and they have since started negotiations with Gremio for the offensive midfield player.

Since being acquired by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in 2022, the Blues have made a concerted effort to recruit players from the abundant pool of South American football talent. Additionally, Fabrizio Romano reports that the Premier League team is actively pursuing Mec negotiations with Gremio.

Mec, who was born in 2008, has stated how excited he is to play for Chelsea. This has given the club more motivation to engage in real talks and work out an agreement with Gremio. Radio Bandeirantes, a Brazilian media site, has stated that Chelsea is planning an offer for Mec worth €20 million (£17 million/$22 million), structured as €7 million (£5.92 million/$7.5 million) up front with an extra €13 million (£11 million/$14 million) in performance-related add-ons. Additionally, there is talk that Gremio may hold onto 15% of Mec’s future transfer rights.

In contrast, UOL said that Chelsea had sent delegates to Brazil in order to speed up the talks. Gremio is holding out for a larger set payment of €10m (£8m/$11m) with a further €10m in possible add-ons. Chelsea’s current offer is €7m plus €7m in add-ons.

Mec has six appearances and one goal in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship to his credit, making a reputation for himself despite not making his Gremio first team debut. Not only has Chelsea noticed his potential, but other European powerhouses like Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund are also keeping a close eye on the matter and may decide to get into the race.

As per international transfer restrictions for minors, Mec cannot sign with Chelsea until he turns 18, even if Chelsea is successful in getting his signature. This is similar to the course adopted by other South American players like Estevao and Kendry Paez, who have agreed to move but won’t join their respective clubs until they are of legal age.