Chelsea’s pursuit of football’s future superstars continues its relentless charge around South America.

Kendry Paez and Estevao Willian have already signed on, with Aaron Anselmino set to follow suit, and next up appears to be Gremio winger Gabriel Mec, with the 16-year-old close to securing a £20m switch to Stamford Bridge.

Here’s everything you need to know about Mec.

Mec joined Gremio at the age of nine and quickly made an impact playing above his age group. The youngster featured regularly for the Under-17 side and even became a fixture in the Under-20 outfit earlier in 2024.

A deal was struck with NR Sports, the agency company of Neymar’s father, when Mec was just 14 years old, and 12 months later, they once again followed in the Al Hilal winger’s footsteps by agreeing an image licensing and exploitation deal with Gremio which gave them the freedom to profit from his image – a belief that Mec’s name could soon carry value greater than his club could manage. Such a deal is rare in Brazilian football and hit the headlines when Neymar’s camp shook hands with Santos after his breakthrough.

When he turned 16 in April 2024, Gremio were trying to tie Mec down to his first senior contract, which he would sign when he turns 18. The club wanted to hand him the biggest release clause in their history at 1bn reais (£136.8m), but a desire from Mec’s agents to keep the release clause below £100m led to a stall in talks.

Reports suggest that stumbling point actually saw Mec’s name withdrawn from the 2024 Sao Paulo Junior Football Cup, with Gremio concerned about handing their future superstar more time in the limelight without a formal contract agreement.

Coming through the Gremio academy, comparisons to Ronaldinho have never been far away, but it’s almost hard not to draw similarities between the two because of Mec’s unbelievable dribbling skills.

Mec’s ability to control the ball when flying forwards at high speeds has astounded those who have watched him, with local radio presenter Celeni Viana insisting he has never seen anybody in Brazilian football come close to replicating Ronaldinho’s famous dribbling abilities.

Not only is Mec a powerful runner with the ball at his feet, but the teenager also loves to add flair to his game. He never shies away from a one-on-one battle and reports from his hometown of Rio de Janeiro even state that the name Mec – a slang term for ‘calm’ in Rio – was given to him because of his composure when it comes to beating a defender.

Much of Mec’s areas of concern can be attributed to his age and inexperience.

Some scouts have expressed concern about his desire to try and do too much on the ball – a side effect of his immense confidence – while others have highlighted the fact that he is still growing into his body.

Mec is a slender winger who has work to do physically before he would look at home in senior football, but Gremio have long had him follow a growth plan and have privately expressed confidence that his frame will soon be an advantage.

Mec may be regularly compared to Ronaldinho, but it’s Neymar who the teenager cites as his biggest inspiration in football.

Neymar Sr. has been looking out for Mec for the past few years and helped facilitate a meeting between the youngster and his idol to help motivate Mec to reach his full potential.

Gremio’s desire to try and keep Mec’s development a secret was largely successful for several years, but reports from Brazil soon claimed Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain had caught wind of his performances at youth level.

Once Chelsea’s determination to strike a deal became known, Gremio could no longer hide.

“If people from abroad are watching, this kid has a future,” Gremio manager Renato Gaucho told the media.

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