Dinamo Zagreb boss Zlatko Kranjcar has claimed that Portugal international goalkeeper Eduardo will join Premier League giants Chelsea next week.
With Marco Amelia released and academy graduate Jamal Blackman loaned to Wycombe Wanderers, Antonio Conte is looking to add another goalkeeper to his squad to compete with Asmir Begovic and No.1 Thibaut Courtois. In news that took most Chelsea fans by surprise, the club have reportedly made a breakthrough in the pursuit of Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Eduardo Carvalho.
According to Antonio Bevanda of Croatian daily 24 Sata (h/t ESPN), Zagreb manager Zlatko Kranjcar confirmed that the goalkeeper is scheduled to complete his move to Stamford Bridge after the second leg of Dinamo’s UEFA Champions League play-off game against Red Bull Salzburg on the 24th of August. When asked if Eduardo is expected to leave, Kranjcar said:
“I think so. Eduardo received a great honor to go to a big club like Chelsea.
“When he arrived we gained security in our team, and in my time in the club he has defended his goal very well. But the situation is that he is leaving. May he have all the good luck in a big club.”
Eduardo is coming off the back of a Euro triumph in France with the Portuguese national side. His vast experience at the international stage would certainly benefit Conte’s team. The 33-year-old would become Chelsea’s third signing of the summer after the arrivals of Michy Batshuayi and N’Golo Kante from Marseille and Leicester City respectively.
The 33-year-old is likely to be behind Courtois and Begovic in the pecking order, but will ensure that his younger teammates remain on their toes throughout the season. Eduardo will find his game time at the club limited, particularly given the Blues will not play in European competition this season, but could get the odd League Cup or FA Cup game during the course of the season.