Patrick Berger reports that Chelsea center-back Aarón Anselmino may return to London sooner than expected. Chelsea is able to recall the young Argentine from his Bundesliga loan due to a previously undisclosed clause in his contract. According to Berger, Anselmino has not met the minimum playing time requirement outlined in the agreement, granting Chelsea automatic recall rights.
Injuries during both the beginning and end of Anselmino’s time at Borussia Dortmund have limited the 20-year-old to just 564 minutes of play. Despite this, his performances in Dortmund have increased his estimated market value from €8 million to €12 million according to the latest Transfermarkt update. Chelsea acquired Anselmino from Boca Juniors for €16.5 million in August 2024.
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Could Anselmino’s move to Dortmund be permanent?
There is no buy option included in his loan agreement. Recent reports indicate that, despite significant interest from Dortmund, Chelsea is not interested in selling their promising young talent. In theory, Chelsea could preempt both the player’s and the Bundesliga club’s interest in a permanent transfer by exercising their recall rights.
However, it remains to be seen whether the Premier League club will choose to take such action, especially given the potential risk of alienating Anselmino. Chelsea may still want to safeguard their interests. Another young Argentine player, Claudio Echeverri, loaned from Manchester City to Bayer Leverkusen, was recently recalled ahead of schedule.