Chelsea's long-term Mudryk replacement? Strasbourg sign wonderkid winger

Tom Weber

• Updated: 3 Jul 2024 17:05 BST
• 4 min read

Strasbourg have signed Colombian wonderkid Oscar Perea.

The 18-year-old winger joins the BlueCo-owned side from Atletico Nacional in his native country for a reported €5 million. Regarded as one of the most promising talents in Colombia, Perea will ply his trade in France next season.

He had just six months left to run on his contract, but BlueCo saw fit to shell out a fee to bring him in immediately as Strasbourg massively lacked depth on the wings last season.

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A right-footed left-winger, Perea notched eight goals and five assists in 54 appearances for Nacional before his switch. The youngster has signed a five-year contract with Strasbourg.

Given the owners of the Alsatian side, however, this deal hasn't been completed with just Strasbourg in mind.

Future Chelsea star?

BlueCo, of course, also own Chelsea, who have made it their mission to snap up the brightest young talents in world football since Todd Boehly's takeover of the club. Any highly-rated prospect signed by Strasbourg is automatically a candidate to eventually move on to Stamford Bridge.

Last season, Chelsea youngsters Angelo Gabriel and Andrey Santos were loaned to Strasbourg to help them acclimatise to European football. A few weeks ago, BlueCo were close to landing a deal for Brazil youth international Pedro Lima, but the teenager ultimately decided to move to Wolves as they offered him a role in the first team immediately instead of farming him out to an affiliate club.

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More recently, BlueCo have made progress in talks with American wonderkid Caleb Wiley, who could be officially signed by Chelsea but is expected to move to Strasbourg, with the French club having already been keen on him in the winter.

As for Perea, his potential long-term future could conceivably lie at Stamford Bridge. Mykhailo Mudryk has been nothing short of a major disappointment so far and the Colombian could, if he fulfils his potential, replace the Ukrainian in the future.