Chelsea are reportedly accelerating their plan to bring in a new goalkeeper during the upcoming January transfer window.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are ready to step up their pursuit of a new goalkeeper in the January transfer window following a recent injury to current first-choice shot-stopper Robert Sanchez.
The Blues have endured a season to forget so far under Mauricio Pochettino’s tutelage, sitting 12th in the Premier League as the season approaches the halfway point.
Chelsea’s goalkeeper situation has been somewhat tumultuous in recent times. Sanchez was brought in from Brighton in a deal worth £25 million over the summer, with goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts recommending his former charge to his Chelsea bosses.
With Sanchez coming in, Chelsea green-lighted the sale of Edouard Mendy to the Saudi Pro League while also sanctioning the loan of Kepa Arrizabalaga to Real Madrid; the latter was signed for £71.6 million from Athletic Club back in 2018.
Occasionally, the Spanish international looks great with his feet or his shot-stopping. But there is a lot wrong as well with his positioning and error-prone nature. He has kept just three clean sheets in 16 Premier League appearances, with a further two shutouts coming in the Carabao Cup.
With a contract until 2030, it’s assumed that Sanchez will be part of the Chelsea first-team squad in the long term; however, it’s currently unclear whether fellow summer recruit Djordje Petrovic will be handed an extended period in the playing XI to establish himself.
As a consequence of Sanchez aggravating a knee issue at Everton on Sunday, Petrovic may come in between the sticks for his full debut against Sheffield United on Saturday.
In the long term, though, it appears that Pochettino doesn’t view either of the pair as having the qualities required to be Chelsea’s undisputed number one and has identified a goalkeeper as an area of the squad that needs improving ahead of the mid-season window.
While the report mentions no potential targets, recent reports have suggested that the Blues are among the contenders to sign Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, with an exit from the Emirates a growing possibility given his lack of game time since the arrival of David Raya from Brentford in the summer. AC Milan’s Mike Maginan and Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili have also featured prominently on their radar recently.
Chelsea also have veteran Marcus Bettinelli and 21-year-old Lucas Bergstrom on the books as goalkeeping options, while 19-year-old Gabriel Slonina is enjoying a productive season-long loan at Belgian side KAS Eupen.
