Chelsea now want to sign a “world-class” player who is expected to leave a rival Premier League club this summer, according to a report.
Blues' form faltering
The Blues were knocked out of the FA Cup after a 2-1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, killing off any hopes of winning a domestic cup competition this season, and their form in the Premier League is also beginning to falter.
Earlier in the campaign, Enzo Maresca insisted his side were not in the title race, saying: “No matter how many games we win, I think we are not ready to compete for the title.
“One of the reasons why is that the team that knows how to compete to win titles, they won’t concede goals we concede. A team that knows how to win titles, that is not a goal they know how to concede.”
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Maresca’s prediction seems to have been proven correct, with his side slipping down the standings over the past few weeks, having failed to keep a clean sheet in their last seven Premier League outings.
Robert Sanchez has been under intense scrutiny as a consequence, and it looks as though Chelsea are now plotting to bring in a replacement between the sticks this summer.
According to a report from The Boot Room, the Blues want to sign Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher at the end of the campaign, with Sanchez making five errors leading to goals in the Premier League already this season.
Kelleher’s performances for Liverpool have reportedly attracted the attention of five Premier League clubs, so there may be stiff competition for his signature, and previous reports have detailed the Reds could sanction his departure for £30m.
Arne Slot’s side are ready to cash in on the Irishman, having already brought in Giorgi Mamardashvili as an Alisson heir, which could open the door for a move to Stamford Bridge.
Kelleher has been "world-class" for Liverpool
It is no wonder Chelsea are keen to sign their rivals’ goalkeeper, as he has been extremely impressive filling in for the injured Alisson this season, being labelled as “world-class” by teammate Andy Robertson.
The Ireland international may feel a little hard done by to have lost his place in the team, but if the Reds do go on to win the Premier League title, they will be indebted to their back-up ‘keeper.
The 26-year-old did a fantastic job deputising for Alisson, most notably receiving an 8.6 Sofascore match rating after preventing 1.53 goals by making seven saves against Bournemouth in a 3-0 victory back in September.
Kelleher has proven he is ready to be the first-choice goalkeeper for a top Premier League club with his displays this season, so it is promising news Chelsea could pursue a deal.
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