Inter tell Chelsea who they want in Onana swap as Kepa snubbed

Stuart Telford

• 28 Apr 2023 17:43 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea are in the market for a new goalkeeper and have shortlisted Inter Milan's Andre Onana, but they will not be able to offload Kepa Arrizabalaga as part of the deal.

Onana is a man in demand this summer, with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag also reportedly interested in being reunited with a player he won six major honours with at Ajax between 2017 and 2022.

The Blues are in a state of flux, meanwhile, and three different managers have been unable to make a definitive decision on whom their No.1 should be between Kepa and Edouard Mendy. And the answer might now be neither.

READ: REVEALED: The goalkeepers Chelsea want to replace Kepa and Mendy

Chelsea are looking to balance the books this summer with the shadow of Financial Fair Play looking over them, but they won't be able to dent Onana's transfer fee - with Kepa at least.

"Inter value Onana at €40 million but the Narazzurri management are clear: Kepa is of no interest," report Gazzetta dello Sport.

Inter want Chalobah and Loftus-Cheek

"But they would consider some players in exchange, for example [Trevoh] Chalobah, who they lined up as a [Martin] Skriniar replacement last summer… and [Ruben] Loftus-Cheek, whom they have also looked at in the past."

READ: How Chelsea can raise more than €500m with player sales

Chalobah is valued at €35.4m by FootballTransfers in-house algorithm; Loftus-Cheek €10.7m, so both would count as a significant counterweight in Onana's transfer.

Chelsea will be optimistic of getting a deal done with the two clubs enjoying a good relationship off the field in recent seasons.

The Blues paid Inter €115m for Romelu Lukaku in August 2021 before loaning him back at the start of this season, while academy talent Cesare Casadei, now on loan with Reading, was signed from Inter last summer.

Onana has kept 16 clean sheets in his 34 games across all competitions this season. The Cameroon No.1 also averages 43 touches per game, making him an asset in and out of possession.