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Assessing Chelsea's Goalkeeper Targets: A Thread
With the poor form of Kepa, and the age of Willy Caballero, Chelsea need at least one two keeper in the Summer transfer window. There's a variety of options across Europe for the Blues to consider. (Continued)
With the poor form of Kepa, and the age of Willy Caballero, Chelsea need at least one two keeper in the Summer transfer window. There's a variety of options across Europe for the Blues to consider. (Continued)
ALREADY SIGNED:
Brad Young (HARTLEPOOL, ENGLAND)
ALREADY DEPARTED:
Nicolas Tie (VITORIA SC, PORTUGAL)
Brad Young (HARTLEPOOL, ENGLAND)
ALREADY DEPARTED:
Nicolas Tie (VITORIA SC, PORTUGAL)
KNOWN INTEREST:
Jan Oblak
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
Andre Onana
Nick Pope
Dean Henderson
Jan Oblak
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
Andre Onana
Nick Pope
Dean Henderson
JAN OBLAK: ATLETICO MADRID
Estimated Cost: €120m Release Clause
Pros: Jan Oblak is outstanding at all facets of goalkeeping, strong at corners, a good leader, distributes well and an excellent shot-stopper.
Cons: Oblak will be one of (if not the most expensive option.)
Estimated Cost: €120m Release Clause
Pros: Jan Oblak is outstanding at all facets of goalkeeping, strong at corners, a good leader, distributes well and an excellent shot-stopper.
Cons: Oblak will be one of (if not the most expensive option.)
MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN: FC BARCELONA
Estimated Cost: €100m
Pros: Ter Stegen's been positive despite FCB's poor season. Excellent distribution, a great shot-stopper, is approaching his prime.
Cons: Barcelona demands a good fee for the player and will want a replacement first.
Estimated Cost: €100m
Pros: Ter Stegen's been positive despite FCB's poor season. Excellent distribution, a great shot-stopper, is approaching his prime.
Cons: Barcelona demands a good fee for the player and will want a replacement first.
ANDRE ONANA: AFC AJAX
Estimated Cost: €35m
Pros: Outstanding reflexes, quick off his line, superb shot-stopper and penalty-saving specialist. Cheaper than other options.
Cons: Can have lapses of concentration, not fantastic with crosses. Average distribution.
Estimated Cost: €35m
Pros: Outstanding reflexes, quick off his line, superb shot-stopper and penalty-saving specialist. Cheaper than other options.
Cons: Can have lapses of concentration, not fantastic with crosses. Average distribution.
NICK POPE: BURNLEY FC
Estimated Cost: £25m
Pros: Homegrown for registration, lots of clean sheets, currently in his prime. Great for close-range saves. Cheaper option.
Cons: Not necessarily long term solution, concerns about distribution, plays in a defensive team.
Estimated Cost: £25m
Pros: Homegrown for registration, lots of clean sheets, currently in his prime. Great for close-range saves. Cheaper option.
Cons: Not necessarily long term solution, concerns about distribution, plays in a defensive team.
DEAN HENDERSON: MANCHESTER UNITED
Estimated Cost: £50m
Pros: Fantastic season at Sheffield United, improving rapidly, commands box well. Long term solution.
Cons: Manchester United not keen on selling, he may sign a new deal as they need to plan for DDG's successor.
Estimated Cost: £50m
Pros: Fantastic season at Sheffield United, improving rapidly, commands box well. Long term solution.
Cons: Manchester United not keen on selling, he may sign a new deal as they need to plan for DDG's successor.
WILDCARDS:
Names we haven't been linked with recently, but have been past targets, or could be good value.
Thomas Strakosha
Predrag Rajkovic
Alphonse Areola
Kasper Schmeichel
Ben Foster
Names we haven't been linked with recently, but have been past targets, or could be good value.
Thomas Strakosha
Predrag Rajkovic
Alphonse Areola
Kasper Schmeichel
Ben Foster
THOMAS STRAKOSHA: SS LAZIO
Estimated Cost: €40m
Pros: Solid keeper, excellent reflexes, ability to make match-defining saves. Generally consistent. Still plenty of years left.
Cons: Has struggled since season restarted with rest of team. Can be suspect with aerial balls.
Estimated Cost: €40m
Pros: Solid keeper, excellent reflexes, ability to make match-defining saves. Generally consistent. Still plenty of years left.
Cons: Has struggled since season restarted with rest of team. Can be suspect with aerial balls.
PREDRAG RAJKOVIC: STADE DE REIMS
Estimated Cost: €25m
Pros: Fantastic season, incredible reflexes, amazing penalty record, not old, not expensive. Rajkovic admitted he'd like to play for us.
Cons: Stade De Reims not keen on selling, they have Europa League football next year
Estimated Cost: €25m
Pros: Fantastic season, incredible reflexes, amazing penalty record, not old, not expensive. Rajkovic admitted he'd like to play for us.
Cons: Stade De Reims not keen on selling, they have Europa League football next year
ALPHONSE AREOLA: PSG (On loan at Real Madrid)
Estimated Cost: €20m
Pros: Cheaper option, experience in top leagues and UCL.
Cons: Concentration has lapsed before, very little gametime in the last year, perhaps not sufficient quality.
Estimated Cost: €20m
Pros: Cheaper option, experience in top leagues and UCL.
Cons: Concentration has lapsed before, very little gametime in the last year, perhaps not sufficient quality.
KASPER SCHMEICHEL: LEICESTER CITY
Estimated Cost: £30m
Pros: Hugely experienced, good distribution, Premier League-proven, leadership, excellent reflexes.
Cons: Leicester unlikely to want to sell to a perceived rival, Schmeichel will be 34 in November, only a stop-gap.
Estimated Cost: £30m
Pros: Hugely experienced, good distribution, Premier League-proven, leadership, excellent reflexes.
Cons: Leicester unlikely to want to sell to a perceived rival, Schmeichel will be 34 in November, only a stop-gap.
BEN FOSTER: WATFORD FC
Estimated Cost: £5m
Pros: Vastly experienced, leadership quality, excellent shot-stopper, commanding keeper. Homegrown.
Cons: Will be 38 next April, coming off a relegation, not a long term option. Could be useful back-up.
Estimated Cost: £5m
Pros: Vastly experienced, leadership quality, excellent shot-stopper, commanding keeper. Homegrown.
Cons: Will be 38 next April, coming off a relegation, not a long term option. Could be useful back-up.
Overall, the best value on the market at the moment is probably Andre Onana and Predrag Rajkovic. Both are young goalkeepers who have impressed in the past and are available at good fees. Both of them have flaws in their game, but these can be developed.
However, if the chance presents itself for Chelsea to sign Jan Oblak (or indeed Ter Stegen), they should seriously consider the option because they are world class players that will help transform the defence. This is important as they've clearly lost confidence in Kepa.
That said, Chelsea also need to ensure that they get the necessary defensive reinforcements into their side, otherwise all of these goalkeepers will eventually struggle, due to the amount of quality chances we present to oppositions.
Follow @SW6Daily for other Chelsea FC content - you can also follow myself to see the other threads for positions I think Chelsea will target in this window.
