Chelsea could be set to turn to a familiar route to solve what has become a long-standing problem position for Enzo Maresca’s squad.
After keeping their powder dry in the January transfer window, the Blues will no doubt be looking to make more changes to their playing squad this summer. Maresca will be hoping that a strong end to the season will mean he has a Champions League campaign to prepare for, otherwise the club will be looking to significantly strengthen ahead of another effort to crack the top four next year.
One of Chelsea’s favourite places to go shopping in recent years has been at Brighton, with three members of the current squad former Seagulls
Chelsea look to the Amex again for their next signing
Marc Cucurella was a £62million mover between the two clubs in the summer of 2023, with Robert Sanchez following the same path for £25million a year later, shortly before Chelsea broke the British transfer record to land Moises Caicedo for £115million.
All three have established themselves as regular players under Maresca this season and the logic at Stamford Bridge would appear to be trending towards doubling down on this transfer policy with another raid on the Amex Stadium.
Despite starting the season as the club’s No.1 in the Premier League and making 21 Premier League appearances between the sticks, Sanchez has been dropped for the Blues’ last four games, with summer signing Filip Jorgensen taking his place in the starting line-up.
This would suggest Maresca is not content with his goalkeeping options and has seen a report emerge on GiveMeSport that Chelsea are ‘refusing to rule out’ the signing of Brighton stopper Bart Verbruggen in the summer.
The report adds that Chelsea want to improve their goalkeeping options and believe that Netherlands international Verbruggen would be a good fit in their side.
Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler is set to dig his heels in however, with Chelsea said to face ‘an uphill battle’ to land the 22-year-old, while Bayern Munich and Manchester United could also join the chase for the ‘keeper, who Brighton would not sell for less than £50million.
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, Verbruggen – who is valued at €25milion by Transfermarkt – is one of the most promising goalkeepers in the game and is more than capable of playing for a team with Champions League ambitions and is no doubt a future staple of FourFourTwo’s best goalkeeper lists.
At the age of 22, Verbruggen is already a Netherlands regular and his value should continue to go up. If Chelsea are able to make the finances work, then he can solve their goalkeeping position for years to come.
