Mec will join a burgeoning group of young South American talent at Chelsea, which also includes Kendry Paez from Independiente del Valle, who signed for £17 million last year, and Estevao Willian from Palmeiras, who will join when he turns 18 next summer. Investing in young, talented South American players has worked well for other European powerhouses, like Real Madrid with Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior.
Chelsea has taken a risky gamble on Mec despite his evident potential given his lack of professional experience. The club s inconsistent previous history with young players has some supporters wondering if it makes sense to put future potential ahead of current reinforcements. These gripes are attached to broader complaints about Chelsea s transfer business and contracting strategy with extremely long contracts the norm since Todd Boehly s takeover.
It is clear though that Chelsea s long-term plan is to develop these young players so they may someday be important members of their team as they pursue supremacy in Europe.
