Chelsea Transfer Blow: Did Julio Enciso’s Failed Medical End £13.8m Move?

Chelsea’s Julio Enciso Move Collapses After Failed Medical

Chelsea’s pursuit of Brighton midfielder Julio Enciso has officially collapsed after the 21-year-old failed a medical, according to reports from Paraguay.

The deal, worth around £13.8 million, was structured through the BlueCo ownership group, with plans to send Enciso to French side Strasbourg this season before integrating him into the Chelsea squad at Stamford Bridge next year.

The transfer was seen as a long-term investment by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, especially given Enciso’s reputation as one of Paraguay’s brightest young talents.

He had shown flashes of quality during his loan spell at Ipswich Town, but lingering concerns about his fitness have derailed the move.

Enciso has undergone three surgeries on the same left knee, the latest coming just this summer.

Paraguayan journalist Wilson Gonzalez Bronce confirmed on Radio Nanduti that the transfer collapsed after Enciso underwent extended medical checks.

“Because of his history, additional tests were required, and unfortunately he did not pass them,” Bronce explained, calling it a rare case in modern football.

For Chelsea, the decision reflects a cautious approach to injury-risk transfers, while for Enciso, once hailed as the “jewel of Paraguayan football”, it is a crushing setback.

Instead of preparing for a potential Chelsea future, he must now return to Brighton, where he remains under contract until next year and focus on proving he can overcome his recurring injury struggles.