Chelsea have reportedly set their sights on Marcus Bettinelli, with the 29-year-old English goalkeeper a free agent after leaving Fulham.
According to a report by The Athletic, Chelsea are in the hunt for a new third-choice goalkeeper in the summer transfer window following the departure of Willy Caballero. And one of the options under consideration at Stamford Bridge is English goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, who is a free agent after being released by Fulham.
Marcus Bettinelli joined the Fulham academy as a 14-year-old in 2006 before making swift progress in their youth setup and breaking into the first-team squad in 2010. However, after over a decade and a half with the Cottagers, the 29-year-old is now a free agent following the end of his deal with the club.
Over the course of his time with Fulham, Bettinelli made 120 appearances, keeping 31 clean sheets in the process. Last season, he was on loan at Middlesbrough, and the English goalkeeper appears to have impressed one of the giants of the game enough to be linked with a summer move, with Chelsea showing an interest in him.
The UEFA Champions League holders are in the market for a new third-choice goalkeeper after the departure of Willy Caballero, who is now a free agent. While Chelsea do already have two quality goalkeepers in Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga, they are intent on having a third shot-stopper in their squad, with Jiri Pavlenka among those on their radar.
Another goalkeeper who has been heavily linked with Chelsea is Wayne Hennessey, who is a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace this summer. However, the Welsh custodian is reportedly on his way to Burnley, which is why Chelsea have now turned their attention towards another free agent in Bettinelli.
The report does not divulge a lot about how far Chelsea have taken their interest in Bettinelli, which could suggest that it is only in the initial stages as of now. Having said that, the Blues do appear to be keen on signing a new third-choice goalkeeper, and it will be interesting to see if he ends up becoming a serious target.
For now, Bettinelli is seemingly one of several options being considered by Chelsea to bolster their goalkeeping department in the summer transfer window, and it remains to be seen if they launch the offensive for the 29-year-old Englishman anytime soon.
