Premier League’s best backup could become Chelsea starter if £30m moves gets off the ground | OneFootball

The story at Chelsea right now is up front, where simultaneous injuries to Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu have taken away all of Enzo Maresca’s striking options

But before that, the big story was in goal. For the second season in a row, Robert Sanchez has been dropped, and there are big questions about whether Filip Jorgensen is good enough to take his place long term. The Dane will have his chance to impress between now and the end of the season, but in the background there are surely moves afoot to replace him.

The number of links to other goalkeepers makes that seem more likely, an in particular we’re seeing Caoimhin Kelleher’s name come up a lot.

Liverpool’s backup could become Chelsea’s first choice

Caoimhin Kelleher in action for Liverpool (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Football scout Mick Brown spoke to Football Insider with some interesting insight on the situation as Chelsea chase Liverpool’s backup keeper after a £30m-40m price was suggested:

“For that price, I’d be more surprised if they didn’t make a move. I think he’s a good goalkeeper. He’ll be looking at the situation he’s in at Liverpool and his chances of becoming the number-one goalkeeper there, with the other options they’ve got,” Brown said.

“So if that pathway is blocked, I can see why he’d want to move. I can also see why Chelsea are interested in him. They want to sign a new goalkeeper to help strengthen defensively. If Kelleher is available for £30-40million, I think they’ll be all over that looking to get it done.

“Not only is he a good option now, as he proved, but I think he can get better too.”

We can certainly offer him a more direct route to the first team, and Kelleher does look like an upgrade on what we’ve already got. At the very least, we expect some speculative bids to start the sumer.