Chelsea make contact with “intermediaries” about potential swoop for “unbelievable” international defender valued at £27 million

Argentina's Marcos Acuna in action with Colombia's Daniel Munoz. (REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez)

Chelsea look nowhere near finished in the transfer market, despite another eye-watering summer of spending that totalled over £280 million and introduced yet another wave of emerging young talent to Stamford Bridge.

All of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Estevao, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Jorrel Hato and more arrived — so far with mixed results.

That so, Enzo Maresca’s side have started the campaign strongly as a unit — sitting third in the Premier League and performing confidently in Europe — but the recruitment drive appears set to continue.

The latest name on their radar is Crystal Palace right-back Daniel Muñoz, with Chelsea now exploring the possibility of a deal.

According to Mark Brus’ Daily Briefing, Chelsea have initiated contact through intermediaries to gauge the conditions of a potential move for the Colombian international. They’re not alone, either — Barcelona are also heavily monitoring the situation, while Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have registered interest as well.

Muñoz has been one of the Premier League’s standout attacking full-backs since arriving at Selhurst Park. His high-energy style, ball progression, and end product have turned him into one of Palace’s most reliable performers, and clubs across Europe have taken notice.

Both Chelsea and Barcelona believe there may be an opportunity to secure him at a relatively modest figure, with the 29-year-old reportedly valued at around £27 million.

Industry sources indicate that “both Chelsea and Barca have made their interest in Muñoz known through intermediaries,” with concrete offers expected to be explored further heading into 2026.

Before joining Palace, Muñoz was already making waves at Genk. Former first-team coach Michel Ribeiro once described the defender as “unbelievable”, praising his athleticism, technical quality, and mentality.

That reputation has only grown in England, where he has become one of the league’s most dynamic right-backs — arguably among the best in Europe over the last year and a half.

That said, at 29 — isn’t he a little old for Chelsea? Only time will tell…

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.