Giulia Dragoni has completed a permanent transfer from Barcelona to Chelsea.
The Italy international, regarded as one of the best young midfielders in world football, has agreed a four-year contract with the Blues.
‘I still can’t believe I have signed for Chelsea!’ said Dragoni.
‘When I was a child, not even in my biggest dreams did I think I would sign for Chelsea. It’s unbelievable. I’m really excited.
‘I spoke with Sonia and she introduced me to the project here and showed me the possibilities. We all know Chelsea is one of the best clubs in the world so it wasn’t hard to convince me to come here.’
The 19-year-old’s talents belie her youthfulness. Dragoni is technically excellent, combining a good first touch with an ability to carry the ball forward over long distances. Her intelligent positional play and composure under pressure means she can receive the ball in tight spaces and build attacking moves for her team-mates.
Dragoni has impressed wherever she has gone. She started out in Pro Sesto’s academy before joining Inter Milan in 2020, making her senior debut shortly after her 16th birthday.
Her performances caught Barcelona’s attention and she signed for the Spanish club in January 2023. Later that year, Dragoni made her senior Italy debut and went on to start three games at the World Cup, despite being the second youngest player at the tournament at just 16 years old. At 19, she already has 25 caps to her name.
Dragoni broke into Barcelona’s first-team squad during the 2023/24 campaign, one in which the Spanish side won the quadruple. Aged 17, she was the recipient of the inaugural Best Italian Golden Girl award.
Dragoni subsequently joined Roma on loan, playing a crucial part in their title triumph in 2025. She returned to the Italian capital on a temporary basis last season and once again starred as Roma retained their title, scoring seven goals and registering four assists.
Her dominant performances in the middle of the park earned Dragoni the Serie A Midfielder of the Year award. Now we’re excited to see her in blue.
Welcome to Chelsea, Giulia!