Who Is Pep Chavarria? Chelsea’s New Left-Back Replacement for Marc Cucurella

Chelsea have been busy again this summer, making moves to strengthen their squad under BlueCo ownership. Among the arrivals are seasoned Premier League players like Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, alongside Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace and Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a hefty fee.

Meanwhile, the club said goodbye to two key figures: Andrey Santos headed to Manchester United, and Marc Cucurella, the World Cup-winning left-back, left for Real Madrid during the summer international break.

Despite all these changes, Chelsea hadn’t replaced Cucurella immediately, leaving Jorrel Hato as the only natural left-back as preseason began. That gap has now been addressed with the signing of Pep Chavarria, a 28-year-old left-back from La Liga.

Who Is Pep Chavarria?

Pep Chavarria currently plays for Spanish side Rayo Vallecano. His journey started in Spain's lower leagues, first with UE Figueres and then UE Olot in 2018. Real Zaragoza noticed his talent in 2020, acquiring him for €250,000 before selling him to Rayo Vallecano in 2022 for €1.8 million.

At Rayo, Chavarria gradually became more important, appearing for only 356 league minutes in his first season but increasing his playing time each year. Over the last two seasons, he has made 67 league appearances, totaling 5,264 minutes in La Liga.

Choosing a 28-year-old in his prime is somewhat unusual for Chelsea, given their usual focus on younger players with potential resale value.

Playing Style and Strengths

Chavarria offers a contrasting style to the outgoing Cucurella. While Cucurella was known for his attacking flair, Chavarria emphasizes defense. He excels at regaining possession and moving the ball forward effectively.

Last season, he ranked 17th among La Liga defenders for ground duels won. He is proficient in advancing the play, ranking 18th for progressive carries in the league and in the 75th percentile among European full-backs for progressive passes.

He also attempted the eighth-most crosses in La Liga last year, showing some attacking intent, though his completion rate was low at 16.5%, the poorest among the top 20 crossers.

Transfer Details

Reports from England, including those by David Ornstein of The Athletic, suggest that the transfer fee between Chelsea and Rayo Vallecano hasn't been finalized. Spanish sources, like Marca, hint the fee could be around €25 million ($28.8m/£21.4m), which would be a record sale for Rayo.

Another report from Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport says Chelsea’s initial offer of €15 million ($17.3m/£12.9m) was rejected. Chavarria reportedly has a €50 million release clause that was never seriously considered.

Personal terms are agreed according to Ornstein, but contract length and salary remain undisclosed.

Memorable Moment: Goal vs Atletico Madrid

Though scoring is not a hallmark of Chavarria’s game—he has only two goals in four seasons with Rayo—he can strike from distance. On September 24, 2025, he scored an incredible 35-yard goal against Atletico Madrid, firing a powerful shot in first-half stoppage time to tie the match at 1-1.

• Career Path: UE Figueres → UE Olot → Real Zaragoza → Rayo Vallecano → Chelsea
• Age: 28 years old
• Total La Liga Appearances: 67 over last two seasons
• Total La Liga Minutes: 5,264
• Ground Duels Rank (La Liga): 17th among defenders last season
• Progressive Carries Rank: 18th in La Liga
• Crossing Attempts: 8th in La Liga with 16.5% success rate
• Reported Transfer Fee: Around €25 million (unconfirmed)