Chelsea are keeping a close eye on Palmeiras midfielder Luis Pacheco, with the 18-year-old now on the Blues’ radar ahead of a possible move in the future.
Sport Witness has learned that Palmeiras have been presenting Pacheco to a number of clubs, and Chelsea are among those to have shown interest.
The Premier League side have been watching the youngster and want more time to assess him before making any decision. They are back on the Estêvão route.
Chelsea looking towards January
Despite Pacheco already being 18, a potential deal isn’t being considered for the final days of the summer window.
Instead, January would be the more realistic point for anything to happen. Chelsea want to continue watching him over the coming months before deciding whether to take things further.
He’s already part of manager Abel Ferreira’s first-team squad at Palmeiras, although his senior experience remains limited. The midfielder still occasionally drops down to play for the U20s, where he’s an important player.
Primarily a No.6, Pacheco is far more than a ball-winner. He’s physically strong, comfortable receiving from the defence and composed in possession. He can also move further forward and operate more like a No.8 when required.
Those qualities have long made him one of Palmeiras’ most highly-rated academy players.
Palmeiras have been planning around Pacheco
The Brazilian club’s faith in him became particularly clear at the beginning of this year. Pacheco was only 17 when Ferreira brought him permanently into the senior picture.
The manager even publicly questioned whether Palmeiras needed to sign another defensive midfielder – former West Ham midfielder Guido Rodriguez was being linked to them at the time.
“If we sign another midfielder, this Luis you saw playing very well today will have his path blocked,” Ferreira said in January. “He’s a player with a lot of potential who can give us something now and in the future.”
Palmeiras had already protected themselves contractually. Pacheco signed a new deal in 2025 which runs until September 2028 and includes a €100m (£86.5m) release clause for foreign clubs.
Paris Saint-Germain have also watched the midfielder this year. Brazilian reports previously revealed they sent a scout to the country to assess him, although that didn’t lead to an approach to Palmeiras.
Chelsea’s situation is now one to keep an eye on for the coming months. The Blues want a longer look at Pacheco, and that pushes any potential move towards January.
