3 realistic goalkeeper options Chelsea should chase this summer
By Malcom David
To the dismay of many Chelsea fans, the Blues will reportedly not spend heavily on a new No.1 goalkeeper this summer. The club’s hierarchy and new coach Mauricio Pochettino have been leaning towards letting Kepa Arrrizabalaga prove his worth as the primary option in goal next season.
With that being said, Chelsea still remain in the market for a new goalkeeper. However, the club will be looking towards a more affordable option that can keep Arrizabalaga on his toes. Although fans can rule out the incoming top-tier targets such as the likes of Mike Maignan, Andre Onana, and Diogo Costa, there are still many goalkeepers in the market that can provide healthy competition for the Blues’ No.1 spot, and maybe even become the answer to Chelsea’s goalkeeper dilemma for the long-term.
3 realistic goalkeeper options Chelsea should chase this summer.
1. Giorgi Mamardashvili
The primary task of a goalkeeper is to stop the ball from going in the net and for purely that purpose there’s fewer better promising goalkeeping prospects than Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Georgian keeper impressed in a disappointing Valencia side in La Liga last season displaying some of the best reflexes in the league. At 6’6 his frame is integral for his shot stopping ability and he’s particularly prolific at saving direct shots from inside or outside the box, a known weakness of Arrizabalaga. Although his seven clean sheets in La Liga last season is definitely not attractive, the number of goals he conceded speaks more to Valencia’s overall form then his own ability. Hence why he’s so sought after.
Mamardashvili fits the demographic of the keeper Chelsea are looking for. He is young, reliable and more than capable of challenging Kepa for game time. One of the few shortcomings with the Georgian keeper though is that he’s not the best on the ball, with his distribution leaving more to be desired. He also could do better in anticipating crosses, dealing with corners and navigating the unpredictability of how to react when the ball is in the air, as he’s sure to face those situations more in the Premier League.
Considering Valencia is in financial turmoil at the moment, Chelsea could get a quality keeper in Mamardashvili at a discount price. However, it all depends on how quickly the Blues can get the deal done, as interests from other clubs such as Bayern Munich and Inter Milan are sure to cause his price to spike.