As is so often the case, this summer is one of renewal at Stamford Bridge. Antonio Conte, the Italian manager who led Chelsea to the Premier League title in 2017 and FA Cup in 2018, has gone. In his place, enter Conte’s compatriot Maurizio Sarri. The new head coach, who was presented last Saturday, carries with him a reputation for teams that play slick, attractive, attacking football and alongside him at his unveiling was another man who will be central to making that happen at Stamford Bridge next season. Jorginho, the Brazilian-born Italy international midfielder, is Sarri’s first signing as Chelsea manager and, after the pair spent three successful seasons together at Napoli, he will be the perfect player to translate Sarri’s plans into action on the pitch. Indeed, the fact that Sarri moved to west London was a deciding factor in Jorginho heading in the same direction. The 26-year-old had been the subject of long-standing interest from Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, but the chance to work with his old boss in a new location was too good for the new Chelsea number 5 to pass up. Jorginho has spent the last decade in Italy, playing first for Hellas Verona before making the move to Naples, but was born thousands of kilometers away in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. From there, it was a long and arduous journey to the top of world football. Brought up in a tiny coastal town, he was first taught the game by his mother, an avid player and fan, on the beaches near their house. Together, they would spend hours perfecting his touch and passing.

Shaky Start

Then, at the age of 13, he moved around 200km away from home to take part in a player development project run by Italian agent Alessandro Blasi. It was the chance he had longed for, but it also turned out to be the start of a tough period. When Jorginho was 15, Blasi offered him the chance to move to Verona to play in Hellas’ youth ranks. Unfortunately, the agent was one of the many unscrupulous characters who prey on the hopes and dreams of young Brazilian boys who wish to become professional players. The intermediary received €30,000 from the club for each young talent he discovered, but the club did not pay Jorginho a salary. The only money he received was €20 a week from Blasi, who pocketed the rest.