Chelsea are ‘keen’ on signing highly rated Brazilian centre-back Jonathan Jesus from Cruzeiro in the summer, according to Ekrem Konur.
Cruzeiro have been in a meteoric surge in recent seasons, where they’ve finished in the top half of the table. The last campaign was one of the best seasons over the past few years, as they finished in third place and won the Campeonato Mineiro under former coach Tite.
A large reason for their success has been the rapid form of their players across different positions on the pitch. In attack, Kaio Jorge, who was the subject of a £25m bid from West Ham United in January, has been one of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A’s most prolific forwards, notably winning the top scorer award last season after netting 21 goals.
In defence, Fabrício Bruno, who has also reportedly been linked with West Ham, has been one of the best defenders in the Brazilian league and a bedrock of Cruzeiro’s backline.
Another member of the squad currently making waves is Jonathan Jesus, whose displays for the Belo Horizonte-based club have caught the attention of several European top clubs.
One of the clubs looking to sign the youngster is Chelsea, with Ekrem Konur reporting that the Blues are ‘keen’ on signing the 21-year-old this summer.
The London giants plan to send him on loan to Strasbourg with the possibility of returning to Stamford Bridge if he impresses in France, according to the journalist.
Exciting prospect
In a boost to Chelsea, Konur adds that while Tottenham Hotspur and Zenit St Petersburg have shown interest in the 6ft 1in centre-back, a move to France is his preferred choice, with the Blues looking to send him on loan to Strasbourg.
Chelsea already possesses an abundance of promising centre-back talent within the club. At the senior level, 19-year-old Josh Acheampong was integrated into the first-team setup last season.
Within the academy ranks, Harrison Murray-Campbell, who made his senior debut in the UEFA Conference League last season, is also highly rated at the club, alongside Ishé Samuels-Smith, who has returned from his loan spell at Swansea.
Beyond the academy ranks, the squad already boasts Aaron Anselmino and Mamadou Sarr, and in November, the club added 16-year-old Ecuadorian talent Deinner Ordóñez, snapped up from Independiente del Valle.
That said, Chelsea are well-stocked with centre-back prospects. However, Xabi Alonso could use more experience in his defence, which has clearly been a big issue for the Blues’ backline since Thiago Silva’s departure in 2024.
