Chelsea have tabled an opening bid for Gremio attacking midfielder Gabriel Mec, according to Zero Hora.
The Brazilian newspaper claims that Blues representatives have submitted a proposal worth €15m (£12.7m), including performance-related add-ons.
Gremio are expected to reject the “first offer”, but a meeting will be held on Friday morning where a counterproposal will be made.
Zero Hora report that the upfront fee which Chelsea want to pay is too “low”, but it appears there isn’t much of a difference in terms of the player’s valuation between the two parties.
Mec would not move to England straight away
The Brazilian only turned 16 in April and, due to rules in Brazil that prevent players from leaving before they are 18, it means that the player would only make the switch to Stamford Bridge in 2026.
Chelsea already have two other players in similar situations. Kendry Paez was signed from Independiente del Valle last summer but he will only officially move to England next summer.
Last month, the Blues splashed out on Estevao Willian, paying €34m (£28.7m) upfront and another €23m (£19.4m) in bonuses, but he won’t leave Palmeiras until 2025.
What do Chelsea fans need to know about Mec?
The teenager hasn’t made his senior debut yet but he has turned heads whilst playing for Gremio in the Brazilian Under 20 Championship this month.
Mec scored against Internacional during a 2-0 win last Saturday, but he has been mostly used as a substitute so far, with his club slowly introducing him at Under 20 level.
He is ostensibly a No.10 but he is both footed so he can also be deployed on either wing if needed. Mec does clearly have a lot of potential but €15m is a massive fee for someone who has yet to taste action in the first-team.
