Chelsea must sell £150k-p/w ace who Granovskaia was “excited” to sign

Within the 2018/19 season, Chelsea spent €208.80m (£172.4m) making three large everlasting signings for Maurizio Sarri, alongside two mortgage offers for Mateo Kovacic and Gonzalo Higuain.

Throughout this season, the Blues completed third within the Premier League and gained the UEFA Europa League, beating Arsenal 4-1 in Baku. Jorginho was seen as an important of those signings, as he performed a key function for Sarri at Napoli, and was trying to translate that system to the Premier League, bringing the Italian midfielder with him.

However the most costly signing made that summer season, has precipitated controversy from the very starting, from a second the place he refused to be subbed off, to the current, the place he clearly is not definitely worth the wages he is incomes for the membership.

Chelsea’s expensive switch mistake

Chelsea signed Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao for a payment of round £71.6m, arrived to switch Thibaut Courtois, who joined Actual Madrid for round £35m in the identical summer season window.

Talking on the time, Blues director Marina Granovskaia outlined her pleasure on the seize of the 23-year-old, stating:

The previous Bilbao synthetic 160 appearances for the membership, retaining 59 clear sheets, conceding 175 targets and totalling 14,523 minutes performed, but has largely didn’t persuade over the previous six years or so.

The Spanish keeper was typically criticised for his type at Chelsea, with pundit Ian Wright notably stating again in 2023 that he merely “makes too many errors”. Certainly, the 2020/21 marketing campaign, for example, noticed him prepared the ground within the division amongst his fellow ‘keepers, with regard to errors resulting in targets (three).

The 30-year-old is incomes £150k-per-week at Chelsea, however is presently out on mortgage with Bournemouth this season, with the Cherries paying half of his wages (£75k).

However when he returns to the membership subsequent season, Kepa may have one 12 months left on his deal, taking him to June 2026.

While Chelsea’s goalkeeper place is way from safe, the membership will wish to transfer Kepa’s excessive wages on, retaining their present collection of shotstoppers on extra cheap wages, and probably trying to purchase a brand new primary when the time is correct.

How Kepa compares to Chelsea’s present goalkeepers

Robert Sanchez was signed from Brighton in 2023, becoming a member of the membership for a payment of round £25m. Since becoming a member of, the 27-year-old has made 36 appearances in all competitions, conceding 48 targets, retaining eight clear sheets and totalling 3,234 minutes performed.

Chelsea additionally made one other signing on this division through the summer season, buying Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal for a payment of round £20.7m. The 22-year-old has made ten appearances for the Blues up to now, conceding simply 9 targets, retaining 4 clear sheets and totalling 900 minutes performed.

When evaluating the three goalkeepers’ performances this season, Kepa has the worst save proportion regardless of conceding probably the most photographs in opposition to him, has conceded probably the most targets per 90, and has made the fewest passes (primarily all the way down to Bournemouth’s direct playstyle).

The 2 present Chelsea choices have carried out higher, making extra saves regardless of dealing with fewer photographs, conceding fewer targets per 90, making extra passes per 90 and stopping extra crosses/commanding their space higher.

Contemplating each Sanchez and Jorgensen are performing higher and are on decrease wages – incomes £60k-per-week and £50k-per-week, respectively – Chelsea ought to definitely look to maneuver the Granovskaia signing on on the finish of the season, whether or not that’s to Bournemouth on a everlasting deal or elsewhere.