Chelsea dispatched a leading scout to Colombia to closely observe teenage sensation Neyser Villarreal during a recent match.
The scout was present in Bogota to assess Villarreal, a promising young forward from Millonarios, who created a stir in a derby match against Santa Fe by audaciously standing on the ball.
The 19-year-old winger received an immediate yellow card for showboating, escalating tensions between the rival teams on and off the field.
Villarreal stood out for Colombia at the South American Under-20 Championship earlier this year, becoming the tournament`s top scorer with eight goals and four assists.
Despite his burgeoning career, the Millonarios player is no stranger to controversy, having previously missed club training due to numerous transfer offers last month.
Clubs like Porto, Inter Miami, and Watford are reportedly interested in signing the versatile attacker, who can play across various forward positions and whose contract is nearing expiration.
Chelsea`s increased interest saw them deploy a high-ranking scout from Sao Paulo to Bogota to further evaluate him.
Chelsea already boasts a significant number of South American players, with more being signed and loaned out for development.
Among them is Villarreal`s Colombian U20 teammate, Oscar Perea, who joined Strasbourg, another club under the BlueCo group, last summer.
Villarreal is considered to have even greater potential, impressing with his exceptional dribbling and shooting skills at the Under-20 championships.
His agility in tight spaces allows him to attract multiple defenders, and he excels in one-on-one situations with skillful feints and rapid changes in direction.
Scouts have highlighted his explosive acceleration, noting his apparent extra speed, and his powerful and accurate shots, though suggesting improvement in his final pass.
