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Chelsea goalkeeper targets: Analyzing six players against current crop

By Travis Tyler

Chelsea's Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga looks on during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and Chelsea at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on July 11, 2020. (Photo by Rui Vieira / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea's Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga looks on during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and Chelsea at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on July 11, 2020. (Photo by Rui Vieira / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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VALENCIA, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 27: Kepa Arrizabalaga of Chelsea catches the ball ahead of Ferran Torres of Valencia during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Valencia CF and Chelsea FC at Estadio Mestalla on November 27, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images) /

6. Andre Onana to add to the Ajax raid

Listen, if the Andre Onana is really as cheap as advertised, then there is no reason not to make him the primary target despite everything else. Again, the stats back that up.

Onana’s save percentage of 72.5 in the domestic league is good, but so what it is just the Netherlands, right? Well, take a gander at his Champions League save percentage going up to 76 percent last season and 85.7 percent this season. The kid improves in the harder competition. His post shot xG sits at the standard 0.32 mark and his passes over distance are only 34.9 percent in the Champions League. He is quite the cross claimer though, at least in Champions League, with a whopping 14 percent claimed.

Onana, both for his price tag and current stats, should be Chelsea’s number one keeper target. While Oblak may be the surest bet, long term (both age wise and monetarily) Onana sits above. He is already very good. Time will make him even better.

7. Bonus scouting pick: Predrag Rajkovic

Who? Well looking through these numbers, one name kept coming up time and time again within the top 20 (and often the top 10) of all these stats. That would be Reims’ 24 year old Serbian keeper Predrag Rajkovic.

Rajkovic joined Reims only this season but he has already shown improvement with the jump to a top five European league. 79.8 percent save percentage followed by a post shot xG 0.27 does not make a whole lot of sense until one looks at that equating to about eight goals he has stopped by himself. His pass completion of 36.3 percent is not great but then again it probably never was going to be given the side he is in. It is crosses where he really owns, however, as he has gone up for 10.1 percent of them.

If every other target fails, Rajkovic could be a cheap option to give Arrizabalaga competition next season. He is not perfect, but there is surely enough there to work with.

Next. Chelsea player ratings: Tactical masterclass overwhelms Man United. dark

Which keeper would you like to see join Chelsea or do you prefer to stick it out with Arrizabalaga? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!

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