Chelsea eye transfer for wonderkid son of disgraced ex-Premier League star

Suraj Radia

• 15 Oct 2025 11:05 BST
• 4 min read

News

Chelsea are among the teams reportedly eyeing the son of former Manchester City star Robinho, who is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence for rape in Brazil.

Robinho Junior has been starring for Santos and was handed the number seven shirt recently for the Brazilian giants, having made his debut for the club in July.

The 17-year-old forward has also been scouted by Inter Milan and has a contract until 2027 with a €100 million release clause, although Santos are believed to want €15m for his signature.

According to Bola in Brazil, Santos’ financial issues could see them look to cash in on the youngster, with club director Alexandre Mattos admitting the teenager could be sold.

"There's a lot of talk about offers, things might reach the press, and they might be used,” Mattos said. “I've been asked about players we haven't even discussed. You can be sure that, if an offer comes in, we'll analyse it. If it's a fair amount, we'll negotiate and even sell.”

Robinho spent time at City and Real Madrid before returning to Brazil and eventually being convicted of rape by an Italian court in 2017 and beginning his sentence in 2023 after a lengthy legal process.

Latest wonderkid reaches Chelsea radar

Chelsea have also reportedly set their sights on another wonderkid forward to add to their ranks by beating Barcelona to the signing of Dinamo Zagreb teenager Cardoso Varela, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The 16-year-old has become a regular feature for the Croatian giants this season, featuring five times in all competitions, after joining Dinamo from Porto in the summer.

Varela’s rapid progress has attracted the attention of a number of clubs, with Barcelona sporting director Deco already meeting the player and his agent in the summer and keeping a strong relationship with them.

With Varela remaining under contract in Zagreb until 2028, he is believed to be valued at around €5 million ahead of a potential bidding war next summer.

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