Chelsea: Blues’ website very telling in terms of transfer plans

The latest addition to Chelsea’s first team on the website has given supporters a hint as to what the club will do in the coming days.

In the least surprising move of the summer window, Chelsea confirmed the signing of a goalkeeper late last week. Edouard Mendy joins the club from Rennes and although we may not see him for another few matches, it seems as if the Kepa Arrizabalaga era is over at Chelsea. This was hinted at when Frank Lampard released the squad for the Barnsley match, reinforced by the weekend’s starting selection and confirmed by an addition on the club’s website.

A quick glance at the first team list on Chelsea’s official site will tell you there is now a fourth name in the ranks. For context, this time last week, there were just two. 21-year-old Nathan Baxter has joined the unit—in addition to Mendy—and history points toward this addition being more significant than it’s been viewed in recent days.

Baxter found himself on the bench against Barnsley and therefore, he was given a squad number for the 2020/21 Blues first team campaign. The new No. 31 has a serious shot of spending the season at Stamford Bridge as Lampard’s No. 3 selection between the sticks. While many may brush it off as a mere reminder for other teams he’s available on loan, history sees the door swing in Baxter’s favor.

Just last season, Lampard kept Baxter’s fellow Englishman, Jamie Cumming, at the club to serve as the side’s emergency keeper. Cumming made zero appearances in his year at the club, but that hardly seemed to faze either party as he was quick to be loaned out to begin the summer. Keeping Baxter at the club this year boosts homegrown and youth numbers in a seemingly meaningless position—Rob Green in 2018/19 was another example of this tactic. Baxter’s stay in west London ensures Lampard’s backroom staff can see what they’ve got in the young talent. He’ll also develop better under the tutelage of Henrique Hilario, Petr Cech, Willy Caballero and Mendy than he would at clubs like Ross County, Yeovil Town and Woking.

One might notice a key name left off the aforementioned list of talents to help the youngster develop. Baxter’s inclusion on the team site means bad news for Arrizabalaga. The 25-year-old has struggled to adjust to life under Lampard thus far. The club’s purchase of Mendy continues to be about competition—or so the gaffer says—but in reality, it’s the final nail in the Spaniard’s coffin.

Unconfirmed whispers have floated across different channels in the past few days in regards to Arrizabalaga’s future. For months, the Blues have reportedly been open to loaning their former No. 1 goalkeeper and hope to recoup some of the record fee they paid for him just two seasons ago. The post-Coronavirus market has seen cash drained from clubs around Europe and therefore, it’s unlikely a club pays the asking price for the Spanish No. 2 this summer. So, why not loan him out where he can hopefully perform at a level that somewhat justifies a top tier tag?

Obviously, this is all speculation to this point, but the warning signs are present. The window slams shut in a week’s time and there is no way the Blues carry four goalkeepers with them this season. Those going out on loan—or rumored to be—haven’t received squad numbers, which makes Baxter’s gift a red flag to Arrizabalaga’s camp.