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5 Goalkeepers who could replace Kepa at Chelsea

By Jonathan Bailey

MONZA, ITALY - AUGUST 08: Mike Maignan of AC Milan reacts during the Trofeo Berlusconi match between AC Monza and AC Milan at U-Power Stadium on August 08, 2023 in Monza, Italy. (could he play for Chelsea?) (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
MONZA, ITALY - AUGUST 08: Mike Maignan of AC Milan reacts during the Trofeo Berlusconi match between AC Monza and AC Milan at U-Power Stadium on August 08, 2023 in Monza, Italy. (could he play for Chelsea?) (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images) /
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Keylor Navas, who has many links to Chelsea, warms up for Paris Saint-Germain. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas previously played under Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images) /

#2. Keylor Navas

Once one of the very best goalkeepers in all of football, the last few years have not been so kind to Keylor Navas. The Costa Rican left Real Madrid in 2019 and signed for Paris Saint-Germain, where he played under Thomas Tuchel and current Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino. He, alongside former teammate Thiago Silva, started against Bayern Munich in the 2020 Champions League Final.

Now at the age of 36, Navas’ best days are more than likely past him. The highly-decorated goalkeeper will turn 37 during the season, but could provide steady leadership and be a good locker room presence, at a minimum. The three-time UCL winner also has some Premier League experience, as he played 17 times for Nottingham Forest last season on loan. Forest have not brought him back, and so he returns to PSG as Donnarumma’s backup. And, even though PSG signed Donnarumma under Pochettino, Navas still appeared in more games in 2021-22 than the Italian.

If The Blues wish to find a direct replacement for Kepa in terms of an experienced spot-starter, they could do much worse than Navas. For Navas, this could be his last chance at regular, top-flight football well entrenched in the twilight years of his career. The links to Pochettino and Silva certainly help, and perhaps Navas and Chelsea could be convinced that a move would be beneficial for both sides.

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