Yesterday Graham had a link for us between Chelsea and Chilean U20 player Cristian Cuevas, and today, reports out of Chile are suggesting that the two clubs have come to an agreement for the player that will see him join Chelsea over the summer.
For those of you that haven't seen him, Cuevas is a very fast, left-footed midfielder that is typically used anywhere on the left hand side of the formation. He trialed at Chelsea last month in advance of the South American U20 championships, and played predominately at left back during that trial period.
He was impressive during the recent U20 championships, as Chile impressed and qualified for the U20 World Cup this summer. He stood out despite being one of the younger players in the tournament, although he's a long way from being a finished product. Luckily, I still have every game from that tournament saved on my DVR, as I'm just terrible about erasing things I've already watched. I suppose I'll be watching most of the Chilean games again, with more of a focus on Cuevas.
Cuevas will reportedly be given a four-year deal to join Chelsea, which he will sign when the transfer window opens in June. Without a doubt, he's a long term purchase that shouldn't be counted on to contribute to the first team right away. While he played left back on his trial here, it's also probably premature to peg him into any role. Players of that age tend to move around a fair amount before their clubs' typically give them a long term home.