Chelsea are reportedly leading the chase to sign goalkeeper Mike Maignan from AC Milan this summer as Mauricio Pochettino aims to significantly strengthen his squad.
What’s the latest on Mike Maignan to Chelsea?
According to Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, the Blues are one of the sides at the top of the list to sign Maignan this summer, and any potential move could cost the club around €70m (£60m).
The ‘keeper is refusing to sign a new contract with the Serie A side due to Paolo Maldini’s controversial departure from the Rossoneri recently, and this could allow the Stamford Bridge outfit to make a move for the Frenchman.
Could Mike Maignan improve Chelsea?
Pochettino looks set to undergo a full overhaul of the Chelsea squad during the transfer window, with the likes of Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante at least partly out the door, Todd Boehly is also keen on moving on plenty more, with Edouard Mendy another player who could leave, as a move to Saudi Arabia is being touted.
This would leave Pochettino with just Kepa Arrizabalaga as the sole choice for the No 1 jersey and while he kept nine clean sheets and conceded 33 goals across 29 Premier League matches, he has been dubbed a “liability” previously by former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot, and perhaps a new direction will be taken ahead of Pochettino’s debut campaign.
Maignan enjoyed a stellar 2022/23 season, conceding only 27 goals from 29 appearances across all competitions, while also keeping ten clean sheets during those matches.
The “impressive” titan – as so dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – has proven his ability across the big five European leagues during the previous 365 days, ranking in the top 11% for goals against per 90 (0.93) and percentage of penalty kicks saved (50%).
In contrast, the Chelsea shot-stopper ranks in just the top 24% for goals against per 90 (1.09), while he also hasn’t made a penalty save during the last 365 days, ranking him in the lowest 77% across Europe’s big five leagues. This indicates that Maignan could be an upgrade for Pochettino.
The 27-year-old could also give the new manager an abundance of leadership qualities from the back, having marshalled a side which lost eight times last season – the joint second-lowest in Serie A. This is something which was sorely lacking at the Blues last term as they struggled to a 12th-place finish in the Premier League.
Indeed, France manager Didier Deschamps lavished praise upon Maignan following a game against the Republic of Ireland in March, saying: “Mike has great qualities, his stature and his mentality. He saved a penalty last Friday, but this was more significant. I never had any doubts about him. He is a great leader and a great player.”
The eight-cap star could finally be the leader that Chelsea require in order to challenge for trophies once again, and following his impressive campaign, where he nearly led Milan to a Champions League final, a move to England certainly wouldn’t faze him in the slightest.