Chelsea are looking to capitalise on a potential opportunity to sign Mike Maignan this summer, football.london understands, with the Blues in contact with AC Milan over a deal for the goalkeeper.
The west Londoners have made an approach to the Rossoneri over potentially buying the 29-year-old, who has just over 12 months remaining on his contract at the San Siro. Chelsea have contacted Milan to see their position on Maignan with the opportunity to sign a world-class goalkeeper too much for the Blues to refuse.
Maignan has long been watched by Chelsea, right from the early days of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s reign at Stamford Bridge, but more junior options have been pursued by the club instead. Since BlueCo took over at Chelsea, six goalkeepers have been signed – meaning Maignan could be the seventh.
There are currently nine goalkeepers on the books at Chelsea, but lots of them face uncertain futures at Stamford Bridge. If Maignan is indeed bought, then the future of Robert Sanchez will automatically come into doubt. The Spaniard has come under the microscope this season for his performances, while Filip Jorgensen has also failed to stake a real claim to be Chelsea’s No.1.
Mike Penders is set to arrive from Genk this summer and while the club have high hopes for the 19-year-old Belgian, football.london understands, a loan could be the best for his development. Given how much Djordje Petrovic has flourished while at Strasbourg this season, Chelsea may well look to put Penders on a similar path.
Equally, the future of Petrovic remains uncertain. Unless he can receive assurances that he will be Chelsea’s No.1 next season, he will look to move elsewhere. Given his displays in France this term, he very much deserves a run in the first team somewhere.
At 29 years old, Maignan is certainly older than the sort of players Chelsea usually look at. However, an exception is being made with Maignan seen as a potential game-changer for the Blues. It would be, interestingly, the first goalkeeper Chelsea have signed who is over the age of 25 for almost five years.
The last one? Edouard Mendy. When Mendy arrived at Chelsea, he had nowhere near the reputation that Maignan possesses at this moment in time, but the former developed into a world-class ‘keeper with the Blues. Particularly that Champions League-winning campaign.
Chelsea changing their stance regarding their targets in terms of age is something a lot of supporters have been crying out for. Particularly in the goalkeeper position, with plenty of fans not rating Sanchez or Jorgensen particularly highly.
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