Chelsea have now made contact to ask for information about a “world-class” player, ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop, according to a report.
Blues pushing for Champions League
Despite the drab 0-0 draw against Brentford at the weekend, the Blues remain in a strong position to end their two-year hiatus from the Champions League, sitting fourth in the Premier League table with just seven games left to play.
Should Enzo Maresca achieve his aim of Champions League qualification, the campaign will probably go down as a success, but there are still issues the manager will need to address in the summer transfer window.
One problem position has been goalkeeper, with Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen being used interchangeably, and there have been suggestions Maresca could bring Djordje Petrovic back into the fold next season.
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The Blues have set their sights on an “incredible” midfielder, who has been compared to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.
Petrovic has impressed on loan at Strasbourg, meaning he could also be given another chance at Stamford Bridge. Nonetheless, the option of bringing in a new goalkeeper from elsewhere remains on the table.
According to a report from Italy (via Chelsea Chronicle), Chelsea have now asked for information about AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop.
Aston Villa and Manchester United have also been named as potential suitors for Maignan, whose future at the San Siro remains up in the air, given that he is yet to sign a new deal to extend his stay with the Italian club.
Reports have valued the goalkeeper at £67m, but there is a feeling he could be available for half that price, should he refuse to put pen to paper on a new deal, with his contract currently set to expire in 2026.
“World-class” Maignan could be real upgrade on Sanchez
Sanchez has been extremely error-prone for the Blues this season, making five mistakes which have directly led to goals in the Premier League, the joint-highest number of any player in the top flight.
As such, it is little wonder Chelsea are thinking about signing a replacement in the summer window, and there are indications Maignan could be a real upgrade on the Spaniard, considering he has been lauded as “world-class” by members of the Italian media.
Not only that, but the Frenchman could be well-suited to Maresca’s passing style of play, given that he has expressed a willingness to get on the ball over the past year, ranking in the 80th percentile for touches, when compared to his positional peers.
It is clear that Sanchez will need to be replaced this summer, and Maignan has proven he could be a solid replacement, although it may make more financial sense to give the nod to Petrovic, who has put in some very impressive displays in Ligue 1 this season.
