Chelsea are continuing to build for the future and have added 18-year-old winger Diego Moreira to their pool of talent.

The youngster joined from Benfica having made just two senior appearances for the Portuguese giants but he was a regular for the reserve team.

Moreira's arrival in West London was unexpected and little is known about the Portugal Under-21s international.

Read on as we take a deep dive into the background of the club's latest prospect and what can be expected of him.

On the rise

Moreira's two Benfica appearances came from the bench in 2022 — one in a 2-0 win over Pacos Ferreira and the other in a Champions League qualifier against Midtjylland.

Since then, the speedy winger has been impressing in the second tier of Portuguese football, scoring four times and assisting the same amount in 29 matches for Benfica B.

His standout performance came in the 2022 UEFA Youth League final, where the Eagles routed RB Salzburg 6-0 and Moreira picked up two assists.

The Belgium-born trickster also got his first taste of tournament football on an international level this summer with the U-21s, making three cameos as Portugal were knocked out of the European Championship by England.

A unique talent

Luis Castro, who was in charge of Benfica B last term, has heaped praise on Moreira and believes he will be a resounding success in the Premier League.

He said: "He has improved a lot. He has this street football style, but it is increasingly productive.

"He is managing to reconcile being entertaining, because he brings spectacle to the game, with better statistics.

"And he has a very particular characteristic, which is not normal for a player of his talents, which is the defensive component.

"He's a defensive animal and I don't see many wingers worldwide with Diego Moreira's defensive commitment."

Ready to go

Like many wingers in the modern game, Moreira is capable of playing on either side of an attacking line and prefers to shift onto his left foot in dangerous areas.

He excels with the ball at his feet in one-on-one situations, with his explosive pace a trademark that Chelsea supporters will grow to love.

The former Standard Liege technician will have his work cut out for him at a club that demands success, but with Mauricio Pochettino in charge, there is every chance that he could emerge as a first-team player in the coming seasons.

Patience is key

Moreira will have several role models to look up to at Chelsea, including Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk.

At just 18, he can afford to spend some time in a more rotational role for the Blues, but like all top competitors, he will not be happy sitting on the bench forever.

He is certainly one to keep an eye on as Chelsea enter the new season with renewed ambition and expectation under Pochettino.