Salvatore Sirigu the latest to be thrown into Chelsea goalkeeping circus
With Asmir Begovic close to a Chelsea exit, Salvatore Sirigu is the latest goalkeeper to be linked with a Stamford Bridge switch.
Chelsea appear keen to facilitate Asmir Begovic’s exit, with the papers linking the club with a host of replacement goalkeepers. The latest to appear in the headlines is Salvatore Sirigu, the PSG man currently on loan at Sevilla.
The Telegraph reports that the Italian has been singled out by Antonio Conte himself. He is currently struggling for game time in La Liga.
"Sirigu is thought to have been recommended by Conte with Chelsea trying to find an available goalkeeper of suitable quality. Sirigu, who was part of Conte’s Italy squad at Euro 2016, is on loan at Sevilla from Paris Saint-Germain but the Italian has not been playing for the Spanish club."
Begovic has already been subject to a £10 million bid from Bournemouth this January. Chelsea batted that one back, but are open to moving him on so he can enjoy regular football.
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At the age of 29, Begovic is far too talented to be playing second-fiddle and understandably he wants to leave.
Craig Gordon was initially linked with a West London move. Chelsea were reportedly keen to bring the 34-year-old in to sit behind Thibaut Courtois. However, Brendan Rodgers has since dismissed any possibility of a deal and Chelsea’s attention has switched.
Sirigu was an integral part of the PSG sides that won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles between 2012 and 2015. He fell out of favour during the 2015/16 season as Kevin Trapp was recruited and was sent to Sevilla for this campaign.
The loan has not worked out, with Sirigu appearing just three times for the Spanish outfit. Hence, there is an opportunity to bring him to the Premier League.
Furthermore, the goalkeeper played under Antonio Conte with the Italian national side, so the boss may be able to pull some strings on a personal level.
Given Sirigu’s situation, he should not come with that significant a price tag. At the age of 30, the Italian has not got time on his side, while his loan shows that he is surplus to requirements in the French capital.
A sensible bid around £5 million should be tempting enough for PSG. A tasty pay package, meanwhile, would help compensate Sirigu for the amount of bench-warming he will inevitably be doing at Stamford Bridge.
Who would you prefer? Gordon or Sirigu? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!