Jefte could be set for a stunning move to Chelsea in the near future if a wild report from Brazil is to be believed.
The left-back has been one of the success stories of a mixed summer window for Rangers, having firmly established himself as Philippe Clement‘s No.1 choice in his position. The 21-year-old joined from Fluminense for just £700,000 and, while it hasn’t all been plain sailing, he looks good value for that price tag.
It would be fair to suggest he’s got a bit to prove before he’s Premier League class. But Central Fluminense in his homeland think otherwise. They claim that Champions League-chasing Chelsea have been mightily impressed by his impact at Rangers and are ready to make a bid in the final days of the window. It’s claimed they have opened talks and, while there is ‘no agreement’ between the clubs, they add that Chelsea have ‘signalled that if an agreement is not reached during this transfer window, they would be willing to resume negotiations in the summer.’
It adds further than Fluminense retained 20 per cent of the player’s rights from the sale in the summer – effectively entitling them to a 20 per cent cut of any future move.
The report, probably not coincidentally, lands on the same day that left-sided defender Renato Veiga left to join Juventus on loan, and that does leave a spot open in the squad. Marc Cucurella is the incumbent left-back at Stamford Bridge at present and it is worth noting there is no trusted plan B, with Ben Chilwell so far out of the picture that he’s yet to even be named in a Premier League squad by Enzo Maresca.
Jefte has made 34 appearances for Rangers and generally impressed since his summer move. He’s viewed by the Ibrox club as having a high ceiling and a central part of their new recruitment strategy of buying young players with high profit potential down the line. But whether or not he’s ready, after six months in Scotland, to go straight into one of the Premier League’s best? Skepticism is understandable.