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Chelsea have been present process a drastic transformation this season, with roughly £600m extremely being spent on the switch entrance amid new possession and a shifting of the managerial wheel, and boss Graham Potter may now look to replenish the shot-stopping division.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has divided opinion since his £71.6m transfer from Athletic Bilbao – the world-record price paid for a goalkeeper – and whereas he has improved this time period, notably with the efficacy of his shot-stopping, Edouard Mendy, integral in Chelsea’s triumphant Champions League 2020/21 marketing campaign, has struggled for minutes.
In line with Soccer Insider, Blues proprietor Todd Boehly has earmarked Leeds United keeper Illan Meslier because the optimum option to enter the fray in west London, given his starring function within the Whites’ Premier League exploits since clinching promotion from the Championship in 2020, the distinguished outfit having spent 16 seasons mired beneath the top-flight.
Potter is believed to have demanded a recent face between the sticks to finish the new-look profitable outfit, and the 23-year-old might be the right decide to nurture right into a first-rate expertise at Stamford Bridge.
Ought to Chelsea signal Meslier?
Kepa has certainly been a much more dependable presence this time period, taking part in 27 matches throughout all competitions, conserving 11 clear sheets and rating among the many high 8% of positional friends taking part in in Europe’s main leagues over the previous yr for save share and the highest 9% for clear sheet share, as per FBref.
However his sustainability in a distinguished function at Chelsea has been thrown into query, and he’s not anticipated to stay the touchdown with hypothesis rising over the membership’s wishes for a brand new goalkeeper.
Mendy, comparatively, was thought-about a revelation after becoming a member of the outfit for simply £22m in 2020 from French aspect Rennes however has performed simply three occasions within the Premier League since Potter’s debut in opposition to former membership Brighton & Hove Albion, a 4-1 loss commencing a triad of defeats.
Certainly, that’s owed to a variety of notable blunders with Rio Ferdinand stating that the goalkeeper must “eradicate these errors from his recreation” originally of the marketing campaign.
Alternatively, the “uncommon expertise” of Meslier – as dubbed by Leeds reporter Phil Hay – appears a completely completely different prospect. The commanding £30k-per-week gem has made 118 appearances for the Yorkshire-based workforce since his change from hometown Lorient, the place he kick-started his skilled profession.
The nine-cap France U21 worldwide’s top-flight expertise belies his tender age, with goalkeepers sometimes blossoming into their very own at a later stage than their outfield friends, with Meslier rating among the many high 17% of place friends throughout Europe for aim kicks and the highest 21% for crosses stopped per 90.
Together with his feats on the pitch solely set to enhance as he continues his improvement, a transfer to Chelsea might unleash his full may on English soccer, with a bid of not less than £30m touted for his providers.
Such a switch would proceed Chelsea’s pattern of investing in youth and crafting a dynasty set to linger like mist on the remainder of the Premier League, engulfing opposition and ascending the illustrious London giants to the very high of the sport.
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