Chelsea preparing club-record £132 million bid for “astonishing” La Liga superstar

Atletico Madrid's Thiago Almada, Giuliano Simeone and Julian Alvarez. (REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura)

Chelsea’s impressive campaign under Enzo Maresca continues to build momentum.

Despite the occasional slip, the Blues sit third in the Premier League after the opening quarter of the season and look well on track to progress comfortably in the Champions League.

A major factor behind their success has been the sheer volume of goals spread throughout the squad.

João Pedro, Marc Guiu, Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto, Estevão, Alejandro Garnacho, Facundo Buonanotte, Liam Delap, Cole Palmer and even teenager Tyrique George have all chipped in, making Chelsea one of the most unpredictable attacking sides in Europe.

Yet, even with an overflowing frontline, Maresca appears to want another elite match-winner — and the club are now plotting their boldest move yet.

According to Fichajes, Chelsea are gearing up to submit a club-record proposal to sign Atlético Madrid superstar Julián Álvarez, with the report claiming the offer could reach €150 million (£132m).

Álvarez has become the heartbeat of Diego Simeone’s attack since joining from Manchester City. The Argentine has exploded in Spain, hitting 29 goals in all competitions during his debut campaign and following that up with nine goals in his first 15 games this season.

Former City and Atleti legend Sergio Agüero once labelled him “astonishing”, and it’s clear Europe’s elite agree — with several major clubs tracking his situation.

Chelsea, though, are believed to be the most aggressive suitor. The report notes that the Blues see Álvarez as a foundational signing for the long-term project, and crucially, Enzo Fernández is expected to play a key part in persuading his Argentina teammate to return to the Premier League.

Barcelona and PSG are also monitoring developments, but Chelsea’s willingness to table an enormous offer could give them a significant advantage.

And for a team already overflowing with goal threats, the idea of adding Álvarez? Well… more goals certainly wouldn’t hurt.

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.