Chelsea Eyeing Winter Move For This Swiss Custodian: Why They Might Return For Him In Summer | OneFootball

If a report from The Independent is believed to be true, Chelsea have identified Gregor Kobel over a potential winter swoop before Monday’s deadline. Manchester United are also keen on the Borussia Dortmund keeper, but the Bundesliga heavyweights are determined to keep hold of him, at least until the closure of the current campaign.

The 27-year-old Swiss custodian progressed through the academy ranks of FC Zurich and Grasshoppers back in his homeland. He then plied his trade to Hoffenheim in Germany on an initial loan and featured for their reserves in the fourth tier of German football. While his move was made permanent by the Kraichgauer, Kobel struggled for minutes in Baden-Württemberg.

However, back-to-back loan stints with FC Augsburg and VfB Stuttgart helped him flourish his game with regular gametime. Kobel’s excellence between the sticks was instrumental in Stuttgart’s top-flight promotion, and an impressive Bundesliga campaign with the Swabians earned him a €15m transfer to Dortmund in the summer of 2021. There he got the nod over compatriots Roman Bürki and Marwin Hitz as the Prussians’ ‘number 1’ and has, so far, appeared 143 times across competitions.

Why Borussia Dortmund Should Retain His Services

BVB have Alexander Meyer to challenge and cover the Switzerland international. Also, 23-year-old Marcel Lotka is making strides through their esteemed youth setup. Yet a January exit would unsettle the German giants as they aim for a strong league finish under new boss Niko Kovac.

DORTMUND, GERMANY – JANUARY 25: Gregor Kobel of Borussia Dortmund catches the ball during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and SV Werder Bremen at Signal Iduna Park on January 25, 2025 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Frederic Scheidemann/Getty Images)

The 2023-24 Champions League runners-up are 11th in the Bundesliga standings, and their dismal form under Nuri Sahin led to the Turk’s dismissal and Kovac’s appointment as the Dortmund chief. Moreover, they will lock horns with Sporting CP or Club Brugge in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs and the gaffer, therefore, should retain his first-team stars to script a revival over the next few months.

Why Chelsea Must Return For Him In The Summer

Chelsea, on the other hand, have five custodians in their ranks. While Filip Jorgensen, Lucas Bergstrom and Gabriel Slonina are too young to feature in the Premier League week in, and week out, veteran Marcus Bettinelli has mostly been a ‘number 2’ throughout his career.

Meanwhile, Robert Sanchez is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. His high-profile errors have cost the Blues in recent weeks thus highlighting the necessity of finding a top-name to avoid further misery. It is always difficult to acquire desired targets midway through the season. But Kobel, regarded for his reflexes, shot-stopping and ball-playing traits, could secure a switch to Stamford Bridge in the summer window.