Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign FC Porto shotstopper Diogo Costa this summer, according to Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida.
The Blues are reinforcing several key positions in their squad, and they have now turned their attention to the highly criticised goalkeeping department.
Danish shotstopper Filip Jorgensen is facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge and is reportedly close to joining BlueCo’s sister club Strasbourg after leaving Chelsea’s Australia pre-season camp.
Gabriel Slonina has joined Xabi Alonso’s squad in Hong Kong after failing to impress while on trial with Strasbourg this summer. The American is still expected to depart the club in search of regular playing time.
This makes Robert Sánchez the only established senior goalkeeper. Over the past three seasons, the 28-year-old has largely held down the number one spot for the Blues. While he has delivered several eye-catching performances during that period, a succession of costly mistakes and inconsistent displays has convinced the Blues to explore the market for an upgrade.
In recent weeks, reports via Football Talk revealed that Chelsea are preparing a formal offer to sign FC Porto’s shotstopper, Diogo Costa.
‘Fantastic’ goalkeeper
It appears a deal is close to being completed, as Pedro Almeida, in a new report, claims that the London giants are in advanced talks with Porto over the potential transfer of the Portuguese to Stamford Bridge this summer.
For new head coach Xabi Alonso, pursuing Costa would make plenty of sense. The 6ft 2in shot-stopper brings elite reflexes to go with the composure and distribution needed to thrive within a possession-based system.
The 26-year-old has firmly established himself among Europe’s best goalkeepers over the past few seasons, and there’s an expectation he could cost above his £34m Transfermarkt valuation.
His quality was particularly evident during the recently concluded campaign, when he played a pivotal role in Porto securing their 31st Primeira Liga title. Across all competitions, Costa conceded only 13 goals while recording an outstanding 26 clean sheets.
Described as ‘fantastic’ by former FC Porto and Barcelona goalkeeper Vítor Baía, Costa would not only be an immediate improvement on the current goalkeeping options available at Alonso’s disposal, but also an ambitious statement of intent by the club towards amassing a title-challenging squad heading into next season.
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