Premier League giants Chelsea reportedly sent scouts to Spain to check out Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili in action over the weekend. They also kept a close eye on Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simon.
Chelsea Looking To Sign A New Goalkeeper
According to 90min, Chelsea are looking to bring another goalkeeper to the club, despite adding Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic to their ranks during the summer transfer window. Mamardashvili, whom the Blues have been monitoring for a while now, reportedly sits toward the top of their wishlist.
As per the aforementioned report, Chelsea sent scouts to San Mames to watch Valencia goalkeeper Mamardashvili in action against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday (October 29). While monitoring the 23-year-old, the scouts also took notes on Bilbao and Spain No. 1 Simon.
Although the game ended in a 2-2 draw, Mamardashvili performed considerably better than Simon on the night. He made five saves, delivered nine accurate long balls, and completed 10 recoveries. The Athletic goalkeeper, on the other hand, made only a couple of saves and recorded four recoveries.
The report adds that Chelsea are not necessarily pushing to bring a keeper in the January transfer window, but it is not completely out of the picture.
Will Kepa Arrizabalaga Return To Stamford Bridge Next Season?
Chelsea’s hunt for a long-term keeper may not have been as intense had Kepa Arrizabalaga not left Stamford Bridge for Real Madrid‘s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the summer transfer window. The former Athletic Bilbao keeper has joined Los Merengues on a season-long loan and is reluctant to return to London in 2024.
Kepa recently re-iterated his intentions of remaining at the Bernabeu but admitted that the two clubs had not negotiated over a permanent deal.
The Spain international said (via The Daily Mail):
“I’d say it has been a positive start, but I know any grade for my performances this season will be given at the end of the campaign.
“I said it then and I still hope to stay. But, we haven’t spoken about that or negotiated anything yet. It’s only October and we’re focused on the busy schedule.”
With Thibaut Courtois (ACL) unlikely to future for Madrid until the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Arrizabalaga has a real chance of becoming a fan favorite. If he succeeds in doing so, it will not be surprising to see Madrid give him a permanent deal.
Kepa, who joined the Pensioners for an €80 million ($85.04 million) fee from Bilbao in 2018, sees his contract with the English giants expire in June 2025. He is currently valued at a meager €18 million ($19.13 million) by Transfermarkt.
