As Chelsea continue to add a wide range of fire to their team, with the newest addition coming in the shape of Thiago Silva today, the one position they seem to be failing in over the last two seasons is in between the sticks.
Since signing for Chelsea in 2018, Kepa Arrizabalaga became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper at £71.6m and only has 22 clean sheets in 69 appearances in the Premier League, with one trophy under his belt that came in 2019, when he helped The Blues beat Arsenal 4-1 to win the Europa League.
But it can be argued that Kepa has failed to impress and live up to his price tag in his time at the club, so it should come as no shock that Frank Lampard is in the market for a new goalkeeper, and having already added Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell - and quite possibly a soon to be Kai Havertz - to his side this transfer window, without a strong presence in between the sticks, all of those signings could be for nothing.
Of course, as each day goes by there, will be a number of different goalkeepers rumoured to be linked with The Blues. The likes of Andre Onana of Ajax, Mike Maignan of Lille and even Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid seem to be the central focus for Chelsea at the moment though.
Onana seems to be the main front runner and has performed to the highest level for Ajax, especially against Chelsea when both teams met in the group stage of the Champions League earlier in the season. Onana has played 24 matches this season and has eight clean sheets to his name.
Atletico Madrid’s Oblak though has been linked to Chelsea before, where they were rumoured to have met his release clause in 2018, but he turned them down. They then went on to sign Kepa. Had they got Oblak, things may have been a little different. But now two years have passed and Oblak, despite having three more years left at Atletico, seems to be ready for a possible new challenge.
Lille’s Maignan is another one reported by Sky Sports to be on Chelsea’s radar, and although a bid is yet to be made for him, the 25-year-old would cost around £27m, and at a price that cheap, it would surely be a bargain, especially for a goalkeeper who kept 12 clean sheets in 28 games this season.
Another fairly priced goalkeeper is 25-year-old Juan Musso. He has been at Udinese since 2018, has received rave reviews, and has even earned himself a call up to the Argentinian national team. In the last season, Musso kept nine clean sheets in 26 Serie A games, conceding 37 goals with a save percentage of 73.9%, and although the numbers are not Manuel Neuer world-class quality, he has continuously been linked to Chelsea over the past month.
His contract also ends in 2023, but for a price as little as £30m, it would be £40m cheaper than what Kepa was.
Rumours circling today, though, state that Chelsea are in talks to sign AC Milan number one Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is still only 21 years old and is going into the final year of his contract at the Serie A club.
It could be argued that Milan do not seem to be challenging for trophies and for someone as talented as Donnarumma, who already has around 178 appearances for Milan, could finally look to be on the way out for a rumoured fee of £50m and would also be a cheaper option than Kepa.
Although England’s Ben Foster has not been linked to the club, he is experienced and has just been relegated from the Premier League with Watford and could see Chelsea as a way back into the number one league.
It could be argued, though, that Kepa should also be given a chance given he is still only 25 years old and clearly has a lot to learn. But if Lampard is serious about ringing the changes and wants to win big this season, then it seems as though this is a position that they have to ensure they get right, and Kepa’s two failed years at Chelsea will soon be coming to a rather abrupt end.