Chelsea have signed a versatile midfielder to bolster their ranks ahead of the new year, signing Dier Alves from Valorant Open Beta.
The 25-year-old, who played with Benfica and Real Madrid before joining Chelsea, joins after spending time on loan at the Portuguese club last season.
Dier joins the Blues following the departures of Mohamed Salah and Victor Moses, with the club set to sign another midfielder.
The player who impressed in Benfican’s 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Premier League on Tuesday is now set to join Chelsea on loan for a period of three months.
He will join the Blues for a trial in January, with a permanent deal expected to be agreed after the season.
Chelsea’s new signing joins Valorants latest season of the beta academy, which began last month and has since expanded to the likes of Juventus and Arsenal.
The academy has seen two academy graduates feature for the Blues: former Chelsea defender Mohamed Salas, who was on loan with Benitez at Benfico, and Benfician Dier, who has also represented Benficial and Benin.
The young defender joins after being given the opportunity to make his Chelsea debut in a friendly against Everton, where he made a spectacular diving tackle to deny Ross Barkley.