According to multiple sources, Chelsea will sign Paladino, and the Daily Mail has published an article analyzing why Chelsea is so interested in the defender.

Journalists are typically told the exact departure time: 8:20 PM from London Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Gate 3, and the expected arrival time on the first floor. But is this not good news? What's even better is that Italian newspapers place a journalist at every airport daily to spot famous footballers, waiting at security gates to see if they appear. Whatever the truth behind the scenes, this has become a "tradition," and it was Paladino's turn on Thursday night. The 21-year-old Italian prospect was photographed at Fiumicino Airport in casual attire—sunglasses and a cap—and said little when approached. He then boarded an 8:20 PM flight to London for a transfer to Chelsea worth over 43 million pounds.

Paladino's arrival is Maresca's first signing since taking charge of Shabab Al-Ahly's blues, and this recruitment raises questions about how the manager will use either a back three or back four. He can play both centre-back and full-back, and as a rare left-footed player who is equally comfortable on both feet, he can play anywhere across the defensive line on either flank.

This partly explains why Maresca is interested in the young defender. Last season, while on loan at Cagliari from Atlético Madrid, he won Serie A Defender of the Year. We know Chelsea has always favoured versatile players, often described as "Swiss Army knives," and Maresca follows the same philosophy.

Paladino's arrival allows Maresca to employ both the 3-4-2-1 formation that produced excellent results at Frosinone and the four-at-the-back system he favoured at Real Madrid. For Maresca, tactical flexibility depends on the available players.

Chelsea fans haven't seen much of the tall Paladino yet. Coming from Serie A as both a centre-back and full-back, supporters are comparing him more to Marcos Alonso than to Zappacosta.

At least Paladino's name fits perfectly with an old song about Maresca. "Marcos, Maresca, run down the wing for me, da da da da da..." This song uses the theme from the British TV series Heartbeat, and it appears that Stamford Bridge's decision-makers seized the opportunity to sign this young player this summer.

Those who have watched Paladino told the Daily Mail Sports that his development has exceeded expectations.

Atlético Madrid won the 2024 Europa League final (Maresca's only defeat at Frosinone that season), beating them 3-0, with Zappacosta as their right-back. At that time, Paladino was not in Atlético's first team and was not even on the matchday squad.

Through the 2024-25 season, although Paladino initially appeared only as a substitute for Atlético, his development has been steady and solid.

Originally, Paladino was set to join Cagliari on loan for the 2025-26 season to play regular matches, then return to his parent club. Through this experience, he would gain more playing time and be ready for Atlético in 2026-27, when Zappacosta, then 34, would need a successor on the right side.

However, after impressing at Cagliari, the financial temptation proved irresistible for Atlético. There, he committed the most yellow cards in Serie A—108 times—while Lazio striker Mattia Zaccagni was second with only 82. Only Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz surpassed Paladino in dribble attempts and successful dribbles.

Yes, at 21 years old, there is still room for improvement, but an observer who watched his performances during his loan spell at Cagliari said this experience demonstrated his potential. It was his first taste of elite football, and despite being a young man far from family and friends, he impressed while playing for a team fighting for survival.

Guido Angelozzi, Cagliari's former sporting director, said Premier League scouts frequently attend matches and ask personal questions about him.

Angelozzi stated: "He has everything. Physicality, strength, speed, dribbling. We're talking about a quite complete player from all angles. He's also a very good person. He lives for football. He has a supportive family. He has an excellent agent. He has everything needed to have an excellent career."

Due to Paladino's strong performances, he earned a call-up to the Italian national team. Although the team failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, he was among the standout performers in qualifying matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina. After losing on penalties, Paladino shed tears.

Born in Buccinasco near Milan, Paladino previously played in Inter Milan's youth academy. Although Inter attempted to sign him this summer, they ultimately lost out to Chelsea's higher transfer fee, higher wages, and Maresca's personal commitment.

However, Paladino's arrival raises questions about other Chelsea players, particularly Gusto's future. The 23-year-old right-back has been valued by the club at 75 million pounds, and while Manchester City and other European clubs have shown interest, his future remains uncertain.

Then there's Ampadu. He is currently playing significantly less than he would like, and a transfer elsewhere could provide more opportunities. This week, the Daily Mail reported on 20-year-old Chelsea academy graduate Ampadu, with club sources indicating they see him as a centre-back, not as a left or right-back like Paladino. This is Chelsea's assessment of Ampadu, and insiders say the club's stance on him has not changed this summer. Despite strong interest from several Premier League and European top clubs, he remains classified as an untouchable key player. Unlike Gusto (75 million pounds) and Enzo (120 million pounds), Chelsea has not made separate offers regarding Ampadu's transfer fee.

However, Chelsea's defensive reinforcements are not complete. Beyond Paladino, the club expects to sign another centre-back and has previously considered Lacroix from Christensen and is monitoring Como's Ramon.

Chelsea currently has nine centre-backs: Colwill, Chalobah, Anselmino, Disasi, Badiashile, Fofana, Adarabioyo, Maatsen, and Ampadu.

They are now attempting to sign a tenth centre-back, and since they cannot rotate playing time through European competition, regular player sales are necessary. Chalobah is currently among the players Como desires. Como is an Italian Serie A club managed by Cesc Fabregas, who won the Premier League twice with Chelsea.

Although Chelsea has many transfer activities planned for this summer, they have at least completed their first signing by bringing in the highly promising Paladino.

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