Chelsea have already made one signing this summer in the form of Liam Delap, who will be with the team at the Club World Cup. Now, it looks like they are closing in on another. The Blues have been linked with quite a few players in recent days, even making a bid for Jamie Gittens, although that fell short of expectations.
On the other hand, it looks like Chelsea have made a breakthrough on another front. It looks like Mike Maignan is set to join the Blues if things go according to plan.
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, AC Milan, after a tough negotiation, finally gave in, driven above all by the strong will of Maignan. Between today and tomorrow, the details of a deal will be ironed out that should bring in approximately €18 million to the Rossoneri. Less than the initial request of the Italian club, but more than the first offer from Chelsea. It is a matter of days, maybe hours.
Robert Sanchez finished the season in great form and if he can maintain that, he will be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. But overall, his time at Chelsea has been full of errors and as a result, the Blues appear to be looking for a more reliable option, which Maignan is being viewed as.
Chelsea set to agree €18m deal in the coming hours
Of course, Maignan is a high-profile name. But that being said, there are some question marks around him as well.
A couple of years ago, he was considered the best goalkeeper in the world by many. Since then, both his performances and form have taken a dip though.
Is Maignan an upgrade on Sanchez at his best? The numbers do not suggest so. But football is about a lot more than numbers.