Chelsea are closely monitoring the situation of Barcelona star Marc Andre ter Stegen and could offer Kepa Arrizabalaga in deal to sign the German international.
According to The Telegraph, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea are still keen on the services of Marc Andre ter Stegen. The FC Barcelona goalkeeper has been identified as one of the candidates for the Premier League giants as they look to strengthen their defensive department this summer.
Chelsea are closely monitoring ter Stegen’s contract situation at Barcelona and are even ready to offer Kepa Arrizabalaga in a potential player plus cash deal in an attempt to lure the German to the Premier League. The Catalans, however, have no intention of giving away ter Stegen, who himself is keen on prolonging his stay at the club.
The Blues have already shown a lot of ambition in the transfer market this summer, notably securing the services of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner. They have also set their sights on Bayer Leverkusen superstar Kai Havertz, although they will face stiff competition for the young Bundesliga sensation.
Frank Lampard’s interest in ter Stegen should not come as a surprise either given how much Kepa has struggled this season. The Spaniard, after initially arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2018, in a big-money move from Athletic Bilbao, has never been able to live up to his price tag.
Especially during the ongoing 2019/20 campaign, Kepa has attained a save percentage of 56% – lower than any other regular goalkeeper in the Premier League. He has often appeared incompetent in between the sticks and his lack of performances play a key role in Chelsea’s defensive record, with the Blues having conceded more goals than other clubs in the top half of the Premier League table.
ter Stegen, in contrast, has been one of the best performers for FC Barcelona this season. He has been consistent in between the sticks, keeping 14 clean sheets and attaining a save percentage of 72%. So much so, his performances have sparked a debate in Germany regarding him getting the nod ahead of Manuel Neuer in the upcoming FIFA World Cup for Die Mannschaft.
As a matter of fact, many experts around the world consider ter Stegen to be the best goalkeeper in the world. And with that in mind, it is rather bizarre for Chelsea to have any hopes to signing the German international simply by offering one of the biggest flops in the Premier League, to FC Barcelona this summer.
In fairness, though, it is unlikely Barcelona would want to offload their prized asset even if the Blues do table an impressive offer. Hence, Lampard should perhaps set his sights on other alternatives.