Who is Aaron Anselmino? Chelsea's latest wonderkid signing

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 27 Jul 2024 09:53 BST
• 4 min read

Chelsea will complete the signing of Boca Juniors star Aaron Anselmino imminently.

Fabrizio Romano has announced that Anselmino will join the Blues for a fee in the region of €18.5 million. The young Argentine defender is set to return to Boca via a loan deal after formalising his move to the Premier League giants.

With a deal for Willian Estevao in place for next summer worth around €57 million and Kendry Paez also set to arrive at Stamford Bridge at that juncture, Anselmino continues the trend of Chelsea snapping up promising young South American talent.

But who is Aaron Anselmino and what are his qualities?

What position does Aaron Anselmino play?

Anselmino is primarily a centre-back but he can also play in midfield if need be.

How good is Aaron Anselmino?

Anselmino has only played a handful of games for Boca, having joined the Argentine club’s academy as a 12-year-old and making his debut in June 2023.

He has been described by the media as 'a tower that clears everything head-on and almost always prevails in one-on-one situations' despite a comparatively modest height for a centre-back at 6 foot 1 inches.

Hamstring injuries have limited Anselmino’s involvement over the past 12 months but he has made five appearances this season for Boca, including two in the Copa Sudamericana, where he scored his first-ever goal for the club.

The teenager has yet to feature for Argentina’s national team at any level but he signed a new contract in January 2024 containing a release clause thought to be worth around €25m, such is the esteem Boca hold him in.

Anselmino’s progress earned him high praise from club president and legend Juan Roman Riquelme, who earlier this year said: “He has developed a lot.

“With the growth, the head that he has and the desire to learn that he shows, he is on his way to being a great footballer. He is going to be a player for the national team. He is going to compete with the centre-backs.”

However, injuries could be a significant problem for the teenager, with Anselmino leaving the pitch in tears in June after suffering a recurrence of his hamstring concern.

“Aaron’s thing is a shame. I don’t know the degree of his injury. He was very sad. It’s a terrible play, dangerous for any footballer and on top of that he was already coming back from recovery," Boca’s head coach Diego Martinez said.

“I hope the injury is as light as possible. I am sure that we will work hard again, prepare and we will have that player who I feel is going to bring a lot of joy to this club in the future.”

What clubs are interested in Aaron Anselmino?

Chelsea have won the race to sign Anselmino but Real Madrid, AC Milan and Manchester United were all said to be watching him.

When does Aaron Anselmino’s contract expire?

Anselmino's Boca Juniors deal expire in 2028 but this will become void when he joins Chelsea on what has been described as a "long-term deal", with no further details given.

How old is Aaron Anselmino?

Anselmino's birthday is 29 April 2005, making him 19 years old.

What is Aaron Anselmino’s Instagram?

Anselmino’s Instagram handle is @aaron.anselmino and he has 234k followers as of July 2024.