By Fabrizio Romano | New York Times Sports | October 4, 2051
Diego Vargas, Chelsea’s £6.5 million signing from Colo Colo, is fast becoming one of the most intriguing prospects at Stamford Bridge. At just 19, the Chilean wing-back has already accumulated 60 senior appearances in South America and broken into the Chilean national team with 14 caps. His mix of defensive strength and attacking energy has made him a standout addition in West London.
Vargas is versatile, capable of playing as a left-back or centrally, but Chelsea’s staff increasingly view him as a natural left-sided wing-back — a role that demands both defensive solidity and attacking thrust. His tackling numbers and ball retention impressed scouts, but it is his composure under pressure that has convinced many he can thrive in the Premier League.
At Chelsea, his rise runs parallel with Valerio Mazzocco, the Italian teenager signed from Inter for £29.5m and currently on loan at Olympique Lyonnais. Both Vargas and Mazzocco are 19, both are wing-backs, and insiders at Cobham see them as a generational pair destined to shape the club’s flanks. Vargas brings raw power and attacking directness on the left, while Mazzocco offers tactical maturity and composure on the right — a balance that could define Chelsea’s backline for the next decade.
Manager Calin Dimario has welcomed the parallel development. “They’ll grow up together and raise standards together,” one staff member noted. The club’s belief is that having two elite young wing-backs emerging simultaneously gives Chelsea both depth and long-term stability. Vargas, meanwhile, has already been earmarked as a long-term starter if his progress continues at the same pace.
For Chile, his presence is already vital. Scoring once and assisting twice in international play before his 20th birthday, Vargas is being primed as a cornerstone of La Roja’s next generation. For Chelsea, the question is not whether he belongs, but how quickly he can cement himself alongside Mazzocco as part of a new era.
What is certain is that Diego Vargas’s arrival fits Chelsea’s long-term vision: acquiring global talent young, embedding them into the squad, and letting them mature together. Alongside Mazzocco, Vargas represents Chelsea’s wing-back future — one on the left, one on the right, both with the potential to dominate for years to come.