As one of the most touted prospects coming out of South America this year, Boca Juniors striker Jonathan Calleri previously said that he didn't know where exactly he would be going once he left Argentina, but it would be at a major European club. Chelsea were rumored to be one possible destination, but now, it looks like that won't be the case.
"[Jonathan] Calleri's sale is 99 per-cent complete. He will be sold to an English investment fund and he will play in Italy."
-Daniel Angelici, Boca Juniors president; sccource: Gazzetta Dello Sport
The involvement of an English investment fund in the transfer might sound odd but it has happened before with Chelsea, for example with the Kenedy transfer. Before going to Chelsea, the Brazilian player was sold to a third-party by his former club Fluminense and then completed his move to the Blues. This practice is still common in South American, despite FIFA's ruling and ban on third-party ownership.
Angelici reveals: "Calleri will be sold at 99%, will go and play in Italy". Inter at the window https://t.co/U4lsMNJpgD #FCIM #FCIN
— FcInterNews(en) (@FcInterNewsEn) December 2, 2015
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Calleri's most likely destination is Inter Milan. Chelsea had been looking to bring Calleri to England in the next transfer window, as a precursor to a possible loan deal in the Premier League so he could acclimatize to the country and the league, which went opposite to Calleri's plans of staying in South America at least until the middle of next year so he wouldn't miss out on playing the Copa Libertadores for Boca. It's not clear when he would be joining his new team in Italy at this point, but it could very well be just in the summer.
While Calleri wouldn't be ready to take on a starting spot at Chelsea right now, he could become a nice player if he's given a proper platform much like Radamel Falcao got at Porto. Perhaps Calleri's path will cross ours in the future in the end; but hopefully not in the same manner as El Tigre's.