Pep Chavarria joins Chelsea from Rayo Vallecano in £16.3m deal

Pep Chavarria's path to Stamford Bridge has been anything but conventional.

Unlike many players who reach elite clubs through prestigious academies or early top-flight breakthroughs, Chavarria had to take the longer route.

He did not make his La Liga debut until the age of 24, an age when many players have already established themselves at the highest level.

After spending four years at Rayo Vallecano, the left-back has completed the biggest move of his career, joining Chelsea in a five-year deal worth about £16.3m plus a further £1.7m in add-ons.

"I'm so excited to get started," the 28-year-old said.

"This is a dream for me as Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world. It is a big opportunity but I am prepared and will work hard to help the team achieve success."

BBC Sport looks at how Chavarria went from Spain's lower leagues to earning a move to one of Europe's elite clubs.

Born in Figueres, a city in Catalonia in north-eastern Spain, Chavarria played for his hometown club before moving to Olot, where he built his reputation in Spain's lower tiers.

A move to Real Zaragoza in 2020 gave him his first taste of professional football at a bigger club, and - after two seasons in Spain's second division - he earned the opportunity to step into La Liga with Rayo Vallecano in 2022.

That timing was significant. Rayo were not expected to compete with Spain's established giants, but under a strong collective structure they became one of the division's most difficult opponents.

Rayo's ability to compete against wealthier clubs has repeatedly relied on identifying undervalued players and maximising their strengths, and Chavarria became another example of that model - joining for less than £2m.

At Vallecas, Chavarria developed into a dependable top-flight full-back, combining defensive aggression with the physicality required to succeed in the role.

He made 125 appearances for Rayo and became a regular presence on the left side of defence.

Joining Rayo also gave him the chance to play in front of world-class managers such as Xabi Alonso, who he faced last season when Alonso was in charge of Real Madrid.

In the goalless draw with Real Madrid at Vallecas in November, Chavarria produced an excellent defensive performance - showing the aggression and discipline required to deal with elite attacking players.

His performance left an impression on Alonso and Chavarria became a key target for the Spanish coach after he was appointed Chelsea manager.

He also started for Rayo in last season's Conference League final, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat by Crystal Palace.

Alongside new right-back Marco Palestra, who joined Chelsea for £47m from Atalanta in July, Chavarria's arrival gives Alonso the chance to replicate his wing-back system that helped Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga title in 2024.

His signing also adds depth to the left-back position after Marc Cucurella joined Real Madrid in June for £51.8m.