Chelsea transfer news – Journalist Graeme Bailey reports that Chelsea have joined a group of big Premier League clubs in pursuit of Patrik Mercado. This 22-year-old midfielder currently plays for Independiente del Valle. His club is famous for turning out stars like Moises Caicedo and Piero Hincapie. Recent updates suggest Mercado intends to leave Ecuador this summer. He has put in a long run of great performances in his home country. He is a versatile player who can sit deep, run the game from the middle, or play as a creative spark further forward. This flexibility has caught the eye of scouts from Wolfsburg, Sevilla, and Braga. All of them have asked about his availability.

According to the report, the English clubs interested include Fulham, Bournemouth, and Brighton alongside Chelsea. These teams see the potential impact he could make. He is currently getting ready to play for Ecuador at the upcoming World Cup. Chelsea’s owners, BlueCo, are especially interested. However, they might send him to their French partner club, Strasbourg, first.

This plan would make it easier to bring him to West London later, provided he keeps improving. Mercado has already played 116 senior games. He...