Since the arrival of Petr Cech in the summer of 2004, the goalkeeping position at Chelsea has had the problem of plenty. Cech replaced the then Chelsea number one Carlo Cudicini with some impressive performances. The Czech Republic international kept hold of his starting spot for a decade before being replaced by Belgian shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois. The story was similar, only this time Cech was on the receiving end and the club legend moved on by joining North London side Arsenal.
It now seems that the Blues’ current number one could be ready to part ways with the Stamford Bridge outfit. The Belgian is yet to sign a contract extension and has done little to quash the rumours about him leaving.
He has reportedly been on Real’s shopping list since Real Madrid president Florentino Perez missed out on Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea. If recent reports are to be believed, Paris Saint Germain is not far behind either on chasing his signature either.
Should Courtois leave Chelsea, here are three options for the Blues to exploit to replace the world-class Belgian.
Jan Oblak
Chelsea could sanction a move to bring in Slovenian keeper Jan Oblak. The 24-year-old stopper is currently playing for Atletico Madrid and his impressive performances in the last two seasons has put him on the radar for Europe’s top clubs.
He, like Courtois, developed under Simeone and is considered one of the finer keepers as was demonstrated when Chelsea faced Atletico Madrid in the group stages of the Champions League at Stamford Bridge. The Slovenian drew out some top-drawer saves that allowed his side to win a point.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
The 18-year-old Italian sensation has made the headlines several times over the last two years for his top performances. He is currently playing for Milan but given the club’s mediocre form, he could well be headed for an exit. His agent Mino Raiola has all but gone out on a war with the club executives since last summer and wanted to take Donnarumma out of the Italian city. He would prove to be an asset for Chelsea for many years should the Blues be able to table a substantial bid for him.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
The 23-year-old churned out some heavily impressive performances to attract the attention of Europe’s top boys. The situation had become interesting for him as he was on the last year of his contract at Athletic Bilbao. However, he recently signed a new contract that will see him stay at the club till 2025, thus ending all speculation regarding his future. He does have a €80 million release clause in his contract, something Chelsea will want to keep an eye on should Courtois leave.
