According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Blues are willing to include Kepa Arrizabalaga in a player-plus-cash deal for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Kepa and Edouard Mendy are the Blues’ goalkeepers. The shot-stoppers cost the club more than 100 million euros in total, but their long-term prospects at Stamford Bridge are in doubt.
Although Arrizabalaga, 28, has reclaimed his starting spot for Chelsea this season, he has been shaky at times. Meanwhile, Mendy has turned down contract offers from the club and has lost his place in the first team.
Before the 2023-24 season, the London giants are expected to sign a new goalkeeper. Inter’s Onana is a player who has lately been linked with a move.
According to the same source, the Blues are willing to pay up to 40 million for Onana. They are also willing to add Arrizabalaga in a player-plus-cash deal to persuade Inter to trade the Cameroon international.
Inter may find a 40 million bid too tempting to resist, especially given that they signed Onana for free from Ajax last year. However, it is unclear whether Inter will accept Arrizabalaga as part of a player-plus-cash deal.
Nonetheless, the Nerazzurri appear to be preparing for life without Onana. According to the source, they’re keeping an eye on Empoli’s 26-year-old goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who is also wanted by a number of other teams.
Chelsea will almost certainly not return the 80 million they invested for the 28-year-old. Nonetheless, they are eager to get Kepa off their payroll. Inter want to monetise the situation and obtain as much as they can for the player at this juncture in his career – they only intend to start the bidding at 50 million.
The fact that Inter are so prepared to sell may worry Blues fans, but the fact that he has been a crucial player for a side preparing to embark on a Champions League semi-final, having done so for AFC Ajax as well, demonstrates that he is a player of great quality. Chelsea will play Brentford in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.
