Chelsea look set to miss out on the signing of Napoli defender Raul Albiol, with the Spaniard poised to join Villarreal.
According to reports from Claudio Russo on Twitter, the player’s agent has agreed a deal with the La Liga outfit.
Both Chelsea and Villarreal had been heavily linked with a move for the player, who looked set to leave Napoli this summer.
The player, who has a €8 million release clause, was keen to return to Spain but was also interested in the prospect of playing under Maurizio Sarri once again.
Sarri is expected to be confirmed as the new Chelsea boss in the coming days and Albiol was said to be a transfer target.
Chelsea have always been reluctant to sign players over the age of 30, but for just €8 million, Albiol was seen as a low-risk signing, who had worked with Sarri previously.
The Blues have also been linked with moves for Daniele Rugani and Kostas Manolas as they seek a new central defender.
