Chelsea identify Mike Maignan to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga
According to French publication Le10 Sport (h/t Express), Chelsea are keeping tabs on Ligue 1 goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
The 25-year-old is seen as an ideal replacement for under-fire keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. The Blues are preparing a bid for the highly-rated shot-stopper.
Maignan came through the youth ranks at PSG before making the switch to Lille in 2015. Since becoming a regular in 2017/18, he has improved by leaps and bounds.
He is now an important first-team player for Lille and among the best custodians in France. So far, he has featured 132 times for the French club, and kept 42 clean sheets. Of these, 13 came during the 2019/20 campaign.
According to the report, Lille are already preparing for the player’s departure. Chelsea also faces competition from arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur for the 25-year-old’s signature.
The Blues are determined to convince Les Dogues to sell Maignan. This task could be easier than thought given that they have already signed Leo Jardim. (h/t Express)
Lille are also in negotiations with Saint-Etienne keeper Stephane Ruffier. reaching an agreement could pave the way for Maignan to move on.
A key prerequisite
Chelsea however faces one major hurdle in their efforts to bring in a new keeper. It rests on the club’s ability to find a buyer for Kepa. (h/t Express)
The Spaniard has done little to do justice to the title of the world’s most expensive keeper. It would now appear that he has played his last game for the club.
The writing on the wall was clear given Frank Lampard dropped the 25-year-old for the final few games of the season. Given the importance of those games, the Blues boss’ faith in his number one would seem suspect.
Chelsea hope to secure at least £50million for Kepa. This would represent a loss on a player who cost £71m just two summers ago. Finding a suitor could prove difficult given his massive £150,000-a-week wage.
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Chelsea’s first-choice target is Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak. However, given his massive £110m release clause, the Blues are also looking at cheaper alternatives.
The likes of Dean Henderson, Andre Onana and Nick Pope have all been touted as prospective targets. Maignan too has now been added to that list.
