Recent reports had confirmed Chelsea FC withdrawing their interest from making a move for Atletico Madrid’s No.1 Jan Oblak, one of the best shot-stoppers in world football at the moment, due to the 27-year old’s £110 million price-tag.
Instead, the manager of the west London outfit, Frank Lampard, has turned his focus towards inexpensive signings in the transfer market to displace the out-of-sorts Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Blues’ playing XI.
The Spanish international was a former shadow of himself across Chelsea FC’s 2019-20 campaign with a number of horrid displays in goal over the course of the year-long football season. The situation got so dire that Lampard had to turn to 38-year old Willy Cabellero as the Blues’ first-choice goalkeeper in the latter stages of the Premier League campaign.
Since then, with the transfer market reopening and the Blues being an extravagant spender in the summer, several goalkeepers playing across Europe’s top five leagues have been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge ahead of the upcoming season for Frank Lampard’s men.
Let us take a look at five of the inexpensive goalkeeping options Chelsea FC should aim to sign before the transfer window closes in early October:
#5 Alex Meret
A former target for the Blues during Antonio Conte’s days as the manager of the Stamford Bridge outfit, Meret is a great choice for Lampard to consider this summer to provide competition for Kepa at the club.
The 23-year old Napoli goalkeeper has not been a regular starter at the club due to David Ospina being preferred by Gennaro Gattuso. He could be a surprise quality addition to the Chelsea FC squad with the club being in major need of tightening at the back.
#4 Pau Lopez
Another one of Serie A’s numerous goalkeeping talents, the Spaniard has been one of the most consistent performers in the AS Roma side that secured Europa League football next by achieving a fifth-place finish last season.
It is believed that Lopez’s great run of performances have been brought to the notice of Lampard, who has further made contact with the Italian club over a possible deal for the player this summer.
The ex-Real Betis man is known to be a very hard working professional and is tipped to provide worthy competition to fellow Spaniard Kepa at Chelsea FC should the 25-year old arrive at the west London club.
#3 Nick Pope
The English shot-stopper was in fantastic form for Sean Dyche’s high-flying Burnley side that managed to secure a commendable ninth-place finish in the 2019-20 Premier League season.
The 28-year old’s displays between the sticks over last year have been considered to be impressive enough to warrant a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England side, displacing current No.1 Jordan Pickford in the process.
Pope has well and truly earned the credentials of being a proven performer in the Premier League, something Frank Lampard and Chelsea FC would keep in mind should they choose to make a move for the English international this summer.
#2 Alphonse Areola
The Paris Saint-Germain backup goalkeeper spent the 2019-20 season on loan at La Liga champions Real Madrid, however, made only four league starts across the title-winning campaign for Zinedine Zidane’s men.
Nevertheless, the 27-year old is a great option for Lampard to consider signing in order to replace Kepa at the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Prior to Keylor Navas’ arrival at PSG, Areola was a regular fixture in the Ligue 1 giants’ playing XI and his performances were certainly a notch above those of Kepa’s in recent times.
#1 Dean Henderson
One of the surprise standout performers of last season’s Premier League campaign, the Manchester United loanee was an excellent goalkeeper for Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United side during his two-year loan stint at Brammall Lane.
The 23-year old has exceeded Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s expectations with his showings of late away from Old Trafford. However, Solskjaer has been unable to guarantee Henderson a starting role next season in the Red Devils lineup due to the presence of club stalwart David de Gea.
Despite De Gea’s fall from heroic standards in recent seasons, the Spaniard remains Manchester United’s No.1 heading into the 2020-21 season as well. Henderson is understood to be dissatisfied with serving as a deputy to De Gea and could look elsewhere for greater playing opportunities, with Chelsea FC a clear destination in the shot-stopper’s mind.
What do you think? Whom should Chelsea FC sign? Should Kepa be replaced or not?
