Chelsea could return to the transfer market in search of a new goalkeeper following Robert Sanchez’s early red card in their Premier League clash with Manchester United on Saturday.
The Spaniard was sent off just five minutes into the match for a foul on Bryan Mbeumo outside the box. It was yet another frustrating moment in Sanchez’s stint at Stamford Bridge, where the Blues have struggled for consistency between the posts.
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Sanchez criticism raises alarm at Chelsea
With ten men from the outset, manager Enzo Maresca had to make adjustments, bringing on Filip Jorgensen for Estevao and reinforcing the defence with Tosin Adarabioyo replacing Pedro Neto.
Despite these changes, Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring less than ten minutes later, putting Chelsea behind early in the first half.
Although Sanchez is only suspended for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Lincoln City, the incident has reignited an ongoing debate at Stamford Bridge: the need for a top-class goalkeeper to compete with Jorgensen and provide greater defensive security.
Mike Maignan back on Chelsea radar
According to the Express, Milan’s Mike Maignan is the primary target. Chelsea had previously been linked with the 30-year-old during the summer transfer window, but the Italian club demanded around £25m to release their captain and key player.
With Maignan’s contract at San Siro set to expire at the end of next season, the goalkeeper will be able to negotiate a pre-contract with clubs outside Italy from January. This offers Chelsea the chance to secure his services without paying a transfer fee, a move likely to appeal to the board.
Maresca is reportedly a keen admirer of Maignan’s style of play, which fits perfectly with the ball-playing defensive system he is implementing at Stamford Bridge.
Uncertain future at Milan
Another factor in Chelsea’s favour is the stalled contract renewal between Maignan and Milan. While Massimiliano Allegri’s arrival kept the goalkeeper at the club at the start of the season, no concrete progress has been made on extending his deal.
Allegri publicly confirmed that Maignan would remain captain and stressed his importance to Milan’s sporting project. Yet the uncertainty surrounding the Frenchman’s future remains a concern for the Rossoneri. If talks over a contract extension do not advance in the coming months, Milan may be forced to negotiate a transfer to avoid losing him on a free.
This article was originally published on Trivela.
