Chelsea Seeks Keeper To Replace Erratic Roberto Sánchez: 3 Great Options

There’s no denying that Roberto Sánchez has had some great games as Chelsea’s first-choice keeper. Who can forget how he somehow smothered that goal-bound Son Heung-Min tap-in? His heroics that day assured the Blues of a much-needed home win with their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.  

But then, there have been some horrifying blunders that have cost enraged supporters some hair follicles. How many times has the Spaniard put his fellow defenders under undue pressure and gifted opponents chances with poorly directed passes? It appears Sánchez’s understudy hasn’t made the most of the generous chances he’s been offered to become Enzo Maresca’s first-choice keeper. 

With Sánchez’s Chelsea days seemingly over and Filip Jørgensen failing to inspire confidence, a few keepers are being linked with moves to Stamford Bridge. Here are some options currently being assessed, or worth assessing. 

Mike Maignan

The AC Milan and France number 1 appears to be a priority for Chelsea. A bid of €10 million has been tabled for Maignan by the Londoners. But the Milanese hierarchy deems this to be insufficient for the French stopper’s signature. He hasn’t had his most stellar of seasons, and his contract will expire at the end of the coming season. 

Nevertheless, the Rossoneri bean counters still reckon he is worth at least three times as much as the Blues’ bid. And he’s still only 29. A spring chicken in goalkeeping terms. With Milan hoping to return to European competition next season, they’ll want to keep their better players. Maignan is one of them. If I were to pick a Serie A keeper for Chelsea, I’d opt for Roma’s Mile Svilar.

Matz Sels

There’s no doubt the Belgian keeper has been a key component of the spine that helped Nottingham Forest look like bona fide Champions League candidates. Of the 20 first-choice Premier League custodians, only Arsenal’s David Raya kept as many clean sheets as Sels this season. He is a monster in the box when it comes to set pieces, and he is among the top four EPL keepers in saves.

Sels is far from an overnight success. He spent a season at Newcastle in 2016 after being signed from Gent. Things didn’t go according to plan. He was sent back to the Belgian Pro League on loan. His age may work against him as far as his chances of a Chelsea move go, but at 33, the Forest keeper may still have three to four good seasons left in the tank. Of the EPL options, he appears to be the best available one now that Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher has joined Brentford. 

Lucas Chevalier

His form in Ligue 1 earned Sels a Premier League move, so, unsurprisingly, Chelsea are also sizing up Lille’s Chevalier. The young stopper has cut his teeth at the under-21 level for France and has given a good account of himself for Lille this season. He’s one of the French league’s top five keepers in terms of save percentage.

Chevalier’s performances have helped Lille secure a spot in next season’s Europa League. His age will be a key attraction to Chelsea. At just 23, he has plenty of time to develop into a world-class talent under the right tutelage. His tutor won’t be getting a complete diamond in the rough; the Frenchman already has several games under his belt as Lille’s first-choice keeper. But before they consider Chevalier, the Blues will consider Ðorde Petrović, returning from a season-long loan from RC Strasbourg.   

Final Thoughts

There’s no shortage of goalkeeping talent across Europe eager to prove themselves an upgrade on the departing Sánchez. Milan’s Maignan appears to be the frontrunner in this race if Boehly and Co. will agree to part with a few extra Euros. As they pursue the Frenchman, they may want to consider how Manchester United’s gamble on a keeper from Milan panned out.