Chelsea has been searching for a new number-one goalkeeper as Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga struggled to perform consistently under multiple head coaches last season.
Mendy, an international player for Senegal, suffered a finger injury, which led to Kepa, who had previously lost his starting position to Mendy, making 29 appearances in the Premier League during the 2022-23 season.
However, Chelsea’s performance was underwhelming, as they finished in 12th place with only nine clean sheets credited to Kepa. As a result, both Kepa and Mendy are expected to seek new clubs during the summer transfer window.
Despite having Gabriel Slonina and Marcus Bettinelli as backup goalkeepers, Chelsea is keen to strengthen their goalkeeping options if either Mendy or Kepa departs. There are also talks about potentially sending Slonina out on loan to aid his development.
Andre Onana, who currently plays for Inter Milan, had emerged as a primary target for Chelsea. He played a crucial role in Inter Milan’s journey to the Champions League final in the 2022-23 season, keeping five clean sheets in six knockout matches. Onana’s performances throughout the tournament received praise, and he also registered eight clean sheets in 24 Serie A appearances.
However, the Evening Standard reports that Chelsea has withdrawn from the race to sign Onana and is exploring other options to fulfill their goalkeeping requirements. Onana is under contract with Inter Milan for another four years, and the club is reportedly demanding a fee of up to £50 million for his transfer, a sum that Chelsea is unwilling to pay.
A similar situation occurred when Chelsea considered pursuing AC Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan, valued at £80 million by the Italian club. As a result, Chelsea has also abandoned their interest in Maignan.
It was revealed that Chelsea had contacted Inter Milan in April to discuss a potential move for Onana. However, Chelsea has a list of alternative targets, including Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, Gregor Kobel from Borussia Dortmund, and David Raya from Brentford.
With Chelsea stepping back, Manchester United appears to be in the prime position to secure a deal for Onana. The goalkeeper gained prominence under the guidance of Erik Ten Hag at Ajax before serving a lengthy doping ban. At Ajax, Onana won three Eredivisie titles and kept 85 clean sheets in 214 games. Ajax signed him from Barcelona’s academy in the summer of 2015.
Manchester United’s current number one, David de Gea, is approaching the end of his contract, and there are doubts about whether the Spaniard will sign an extension with the club. While Manchester United previously confirmed ongoing negotiations for a new contract for De Gea, recent reports suggest that the 32-year-old may seek a fresh start at a different club this summer.
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