According to Spanish website Fichajes, Chelsea have £35 million ready to spend on highly-rated Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The London giants were linked with several shot-stoppers during the last transfer window. Mamardashvili was one of those mentioned by the media, but they ended up signing Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic from Brighton & Hove Albion and New England Revolution respectively.
This has not ceased the speculation over the number 1 role at Chelsea, and Fichajes report that the club are ready to spend £35 million to purchase Mamardashvili from Valencia. However, the La Liga club are having second thoughts about selling him after their fine start to the new La Liga season.
As per Fichajes, the Mestalla outfit see the goalkeeper’s sale as a unique business opportunity and feel he could become more valuable if they qualify for the Champions League next season. This could be a roadblock for Chelsea if they consider an approach for the keeper during the next transfer window.
Top-class player
Sanchez has been Chelsea’s first-choice keeper since the start of the campaign after Kepa Arrizabalaga made the decision to join Real Madrid on loan. The Spaniard has produced a mixed bag of performances. He was brilliant at the weekend against Bournemouth, but his slow decision-making contributed to Nottingham Forest’s winner prior to the international break.
The 25-year-old still has plenty to prove to become Chelsea’s long-term option between the posts. The club’s interest in Mamardashvili suggests that they are open to the possibility of replacing him in future. Compared to Sanchez, Mamardashvili is not a strong distributor from the back, but he is gifted with superb reflexes and concentration in goal.
The Georgian star has been on the radar of several elite European clubs over the last year, and Chelsea could look to leapfrog the competition with a January bid. Valencia have made a bright start which sees them 5th in La Liga. Should they drop into mid-table by January, Chelsea could have a better chance of landing the 22-year-old international.
