Pedro Lima: Sport Recife confirm transfer talks over reported Chelsea wonderkid target

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Evening Standard

·31 May 2024

Pedro Lima: Sport Recife confirm transfer talks over reported Chelsea wonderkid target

Marcelo Barros has confirmed Sport Recife have held talks with interested parties over a deal for Pedro Lima amid reports linking the teenager with Chelsea.

The Blues have been linked with a move for the 17-year-old right-back as they reportedly look to continue their investment in developing young talent.

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One of the major themes about the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital era at Stamford Bridge has been their willingness to invest in burgeoning players from all over the world.

The South American market has been particularly explored too, with Andrey Santos, Deivid Washington, Angelo and Kendry Paez all signed under the current regime.

A deal worth an initial £29.5m has also been agreed to sign Palmeiras youngster Estevao Willian too. The 17-year-old has been dubbed as ‘Little Messi’ for his slight frame and ability on the ball and could eventually cost as much as £51m - which would make him the most expensive South American teenager in history.

Estevao Willian - known as ‘Little Messi’ - is also on his way to Chelsea

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Both Liverpool and Manchester City have also been linked with Lima, who has scored twice while registering as many assists in 24 senior appearances for the Brazilian club.

Barros is a director at Sport Recife and confirmed talks have been held with a number of clubs, although one’s offer to sign Lima is much more advanced.

“There are many clubs interested,” he told Globo Esporte’s Podcast Embolada.

“And Pedro and I have been talking to more than one club. But there are slightly more advanced negotiations with one of them.

“We’re making a very careful assessment. I don’t see a club in Brazil that would make the investment we want for Pedro, and it’s not in the athlete’s interest either. So we’re not too worried. And there are different offers.”

While Barros did not name who was winning the race for the wonderkid, he added: “One club wanted to make a slightly higher initial investment straight away, with a future bonus, because it’s an important point: Pedro can continue to earn for us in the long term.

“You can seek negotiations with the target club based on performance, or whether it’s a full investment now or an investment with a diluted bonus. There’s one club in particular that we’ve made a lot of progress with in terms of formalising a proposal, Sport turned it down, I can say that, a proposal has already been made, and there are talks about renegotiating the deal.”