Chelsea are reportedly monitoring Nimes Olympique’s 20-year-old goalkeeper Amjhad Nazih as they consider a summer move for the youngster.
According to Objectifgard, Chelsea are among the clubs keeping tabs on Nimes Olympique prospect Amhjad Nazih as the Blues scour the market for reinforcements in the goalkeeping department.
Nazih started at the academy of hometown club FC Sete and spent eight years there before moving to the youth setup of Nimes in 2017. The 20-year-old has progressed gradually through the ranks at the French second-division outfit and made his senior debut in a Coupe de France clash in February last year.
However, that remains Nazih’s only first-team appearance for Nimes, while the goalkeeper has featured four times for the club’s B team so far. The goalkeeper has represented the French national team at the Under-17 and the Under-18 level and is currently part of the Under-20 setup.
Not a well-known name, Nazih is a talented prospect with potential in plenty, which has helped him attract interest heading into the summer window. The 20-year-old is on the radars of several Ligue 1 clubs, while Chelsea have also taken a liking to the young goalkeeper.
Chelsea are on the lookout for a young goalkeeper this summer as they look for a deputy for current first-choice custodian, Edouard Mendy. Kepa Arrizabalaga, who operates as the Senegalese star’s backup, is likely to leave the Blues this summer and is even prepared to take a pay cut to secure a transfer away from Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have Marcus Bettinelli, who can step up into the second-choice role. But his contract expires in 2023, and the west London club are seemingly keen on recruiting a younger goalkeeper to groom him for the future.
It has seen the Blues get heavily linked with a move for MLS-based goalkeeping prodigy Gabriel Slonina. And now, Nazih has also emerged as a prospective target for Chelsea. The 20-year-old is contracted with Nimes until the summer of 2024, having signed a new deal a year ago.
However, as per the report, he would be open to an exit from the French outfit in the current window. Apart from Chelsea, English second-division club Hull City have also shown an interest in Nazih, and a move to England could certainly be on the cards for the French prospect this summer.
