According to a recent report by Italian news outlet Gazzetta Dello Sport, Premier League giants Chelsea are said to have been alerted to Italian shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s eventual availability as a potential replacement for their Spanish custodian Kepa Arrizabalaga in the summer.
The report suggests that the AC Milan goalkeeper has already begun sharpening up his English skills, thereby piquing interest from Premier League sides Chelsea and Everton.
It has been suggested in the report that Paris Saint-Germain are also keen to acquire Donnarumma, who is one of the most prodigious goalkeepers in the European game at the moment. The Italian’s current contract at the Milan club is set to expire at the end of next season, meaning that any suitors could make a move for him in the summer. A further report by Calciomercato has confirmed that the shot-stopper will not be allowed to leave without Milan’s £47m valuation being met.
What Is Chelsea’s Current Goalkeeping Situation?
Kepa Arrizabalaga is the first-choice shot-stopper at Stamford Bridge right now, but manager Frank Lampard just doesn’t seem to be convinced by the Spanish international’s exploits between the sticks this season. Having arrived from Athletic Club before the start of the last term for a record fee, the Spaniard made a good impression under the guidance of Maurizio Sarri last season. He even went on to displace David De Gea as the Spanish number one.
Towards the end of the campaign though, the former La Liga star had a falling out with Sarri in the middle of the Blues’ EFL Cup final fixture against Manchester City. Although the Italian dropped Kepa for one fixture after that, he remained a regular in the side until the midway point of this season, which is when Lampard began to question his quality. The Stamford Bridge hero was quite vocal about his displeasure with the Spaniard, and the manager’s decision to promote Willy Caballero had a positive impact on Kepa too.
Having been forced to sit out of some of the Blues’ biggest games of the season in recent months, the Spaniard was recalled for the FA Cup tie against Liverpool recently. Saying that he looked like a man on a mission would be an understatement. The Chelsea custodian then started the league outing against Everton on the weekend, where the London side went on to keep a clean sheet as well.
Why Chelsea Needn’t Spend So Much Money On Donnarumma
The Italian shot-stopper is one of the highest-rated youngsters in the European footballing scene, and it’s not surprising that he’s been linked with a move away from AC Milan to join one of the continent’s relatively ‘bigger’ clubs. A compilation of Kepa’s best moments in a Chelsea shirt will be enough to prove to Lampard that, with nurturing, he has the potential to remain first-choice in West London for the longest time. Spending such a massive amount of money on yet another goalkeeper wouldn’t make too much sense for the Blues from the business perspective.
