According to Argentine outlet El Crack Deportivo, Chelsea are considering an offer of up to €12.8m (£11.1m) for the attacking midfielder once the transfer window reopens in the new year, with El Intransigente separately reporting the same figure. Neither outlet suggests a formal proposal has been submitted yet.
Aranda fractured his fibula in training earlier this month, an injury that will require several months of rehabilitation and rules him out for the remainder of the year. He has already begun that recovery process, though Boca do not expect him back on the pitch before 2027 at the earliest.
That timeline appears to fit with Chelsea's thinking rather than derail it. The west London club were following the teenager closely before the injury and, according to the reports from Argentina, have continued to do so since, suggesting the setback has done little to cool their interest.
Before he was hurt, Aranda had established himself as one of manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena's most trusted attacking players, making 32 senior appearances for the first team and contributing one goal and three assists. Reports in Argentina have previously placed his release clause at around €17m (£14.7m), meaning Chelsea's reported ceiling would arrive roughly €4.2m (£3.6m) below that figure — a gap that could complicate any move if Boca choose to hold firm.
Club president Juan Roman Riquelme is understood to be reluctant to sell, with both Riquelme and Arruabarrena regarding Aranda as an important part of their squad once he returns to fitness. His contract runs until December 2029, giving Boca little incentive to negotiate below his release clause should Chelsea come calling.
Chelsea are not thought to be alone in their interest, either, with Aston Villa, Inter Milan, Como and Fiorentina all credited with following the youngster's progress.
For now, though, it is Chelsea's willingness to plan a move around an injury that has yet to be resolved that stands out — with a January 2027 approach reportedly already being mapped out even before Aranda has kicked a ball in his recovery.