Having replaced Antonio Conte at Chelsea, Maurizio Sarri will already be under pressure to deliver some silverware next season. He will be expected to improve on certain areas of the squad and one player they are now being linked with is English international Jordan Pickford. The Italian tactician might be busy in the last couple of weeks of the transfer window, trying to sign players that fit into his system.
The Blues have one of the most consistent shot-stoppers in Europe in Thibaut Courtois. However, the Belgian international has just a year left on his current deal and is yet to sign a new contract with Chelsea. He is a transfer target for La Liga giants Real Madrid, and reports now claim that Chelsea will move for Pickford if Courtois decides to move back to Madrid.
Having started his senior career with Sunderland, Pickford played for clubs like Darlington, Carlisle United, Bradford City and Preston, before making a move to Everton on a £30m deal just last summer. He was one of the standout performers for the Toffees last season and was one of the major reasons for their finish in the top half of the table.
He was named the Player’s Player of the Year and the Fans’ Player of the Year for Everton last season and did enough for Gareth Southgate to use him as his first choice under the bar for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Pickford did not disappoint and put in some memorable performances for the Three Lions, making him an English hero.
At just 24, he remains potentially one of the best goalkeepers in the country and has gathered lots of exposure at the highest stage already. Everton will be adamant to keep him at the club but a chance to play for a club like Chelsea might be hard to ignore for Pickford.
His distribution and ball handling are up there with the best while his reflexes and shot-stopping abilities are his highlights. Pickford can be a long-term and risk-free option and could be a match winner for Chelsea in the future if they can pry him away from Goodison Park.
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It is understood that Courtois is happy to leave the club as a free agent next summer. So Chelsea might be forced to let him leave before the end of the current transfer window, with Pickford being eyed as an able replacement for the Big Belgian.
