Lost amongst the Moises Caicedo transfer saga is the news that longtime Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa will be heading to Real Madrid on a one-year loan. There is no option to buy or obligation to buy in the language of the loan, which means that the Spaniard will return to London next year following the conclusion of his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, it is no secret that the Blues still want to add another goalkeeper, and preferably one that can push newcomer Robert Sanchez for a place in the starting XI.
#5. Should Chelsea go for Mike Maignan
Chelsea fans have been clamoring for the club to sign Mike Maignan for some time now, and the Blues cannot say they have not tried. Tuttosport reported that, earlier this summer, the club bid €60 million for the French international, but AC Milan were looking for a sum north of €80 million. CFC have now spent nearly double of that initial bid on the signing of Caicedo, but could have a change of heart if things fall through with other transfers.
Aside from his obvious talents, the greatest thing about a potential Maignan transfer is that he would walk in and be Chelsea’s top dog between the posts on day one. The 28 year old has played over 200 games in Europe dating back to 2015, and would give the Blues the experience and skill they need to reach a higher level. Maignan had big shoes to fill at Milan, having been signed to replace the departing Gianluigi Donnarumma, so it is safe to say he should have no problem replacing Kepa if called upon.
Bringing Maignan in would certainly take the pressure off Sanchez’ shoulders and allow for a healthy rotation in goal. At this stage in the window, and at the reported price tag, it does not appear that Chelsea are currently willing to make another effort at Milan’s star shot-stopper. Maignan is certainly good enough to be worth revisiting at another time, but Chelsea have moved on, for now.
#4. Gregor Kobel
At the age of 25, Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel is just entering his prime years, making him a perfect fit in Chelsea’s timeline. The Swiss warden only recently started getting regular minutes in the Bundesliga, making 30 appearances in Germany’s top flight for the first time in 2020-21. After spending two years with VfB Stuttgart, Kobel joined Dortmund for a €15 million fee.
Since arriving at Signal Iduna Park in 2021, Kobel has made 75 appearances for Dortmund over the last two years. The 6’5″ goalkeeper has yet to win any silverware in Germany, but was at least recognized for his individual performances. Kobel was named in the Bundesliga’s 2022-23 Team of the Season, alongside current Chelsea attacker Christopher Nkunku and former Blue Jamal Musiala. Last season, Kobel placed joint-third with Frederik Rønnow in clean sheets (11), trailing only Koen Casteels (12) and Mark Flekken (13). While clean sheets are a team stat and not entirely reflective of a goalkeeper’s individual performance, it goes to show the Swiss’ command over his team and his back line.
Chelsea insider Nizaar Kinsella has reported that the club were already looking into Kobel earlier this summer, and with Kepa out of the picture, he may emerge as an option again. The Zürich native is only just returning from injury this week, and of course plays for a club that competes for the Bundesliga title every season. Kobel is certainly not the most experienced goalkeeper currently available on the market, and if the Blues want to secure his signature, it will come at a hefty price. Maybe not as hefty a price as Maignan, however.
#3. Giorgi Mamardashvili
Since Todd Boehly’s takeover, Chelsea have had a renewed focus on finding, scouting, and buying young talent from clubs that are not necessarily the biggest or most conventional sources of stars. This would not be the case for Milan’s Maignan or Dortmund’s Kobel, but it is for Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Mamardashvili joined Valencia in the summer of 2021 and made 21 total appearances in his first year in Spain. Last season, he took over the reigns full-time, and played in 42 matches. The Georgian goalkeeper is still just 22 years old, and will not turn 23 until the end of September. At his age, and given he is already playing and starting in a top-five league, Mamardashvili fits the Chelsea project like a glove.
Kepa’s lack of height has been a problem for Chelsea, and the club has been trying to get bigger both in goal and at the back, hence why they signed Axel Disasi and Sanchez. That is also what made Edouard Mendy such a big success for a few years. If the Blues were to sign Mamardashvili, he and Sanchez would provide the club with a towering 6’6″ tandem between the sticks.
CFC have been following the 22 year old, alongside Kobel, all summer, even before signing Sanchez and allowing Kepa to leave on loan. Kinsella has reported that The Blues could be back in for Mamardashvili before the window closes, and other sources have stated that Valencia will allow him to leave if they receive a suitable offer. At the right price, the Blues need to be all over that.
#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.
#1. Dean Henderson
The Blues have already dealt with Manchester United once this summer when they sold Mason Mount, but whatever you do once, you can do twice, right? The circumstances between goalkeeper Dean Henderson and Mount are probably different, considering that Mount was unlikely to sign a contract extension at Chelsea, and Henderson does not seem to be pushing for a move. Still, Henderson is too good to be stuck as Andre Onana’s understudy at Old Trafford.
Like Navas, Henderson played his 2022-23 season with Forest, and played exceptionally well there. The English international also spent two years as a starter at Sheffield United, and played in nearly half of Manchester’s Premier League games in 2020-21. Sheffield’s two-time Young Player of the Year is now 26, and will turn 27 in March. At this stage in his career, Henderson needs to find a permanent home, and one where he can play regularly.
Forest recently signed former Arsenal keeper Matt Turner, so Henderson’s prospects of returning are slim to none. United manager Erik ten Hag is happy to have the Whitehaven native in the fold alongside Onana and Tom Heaton, but these types of transfers usually happen out of nowhere anyway. With players like Conor Gallagher, Lewis Hall, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Trevoh Chalobah all potentially leaving the club this window, CFC might not mind adding another English player to the mix to help maintain their homegrown quota.
Of course, Henderson is more than just a number or a squad player; he is a genuinely good goalkeeper whose name has been swept under the rug for some years. There are no tangible links at this time, but Chelsea absolutely should keep an eye on the player.