Chelsea target new goalkeeper for Maresca

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 2 Jun 2024 11:05 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea are moving quickly to satisfy new head coach Enzo Maresca's requests in the coming summer transfer market.

Maresca's move to Chelsea to succeed Mauricio Pochettino is all but confirmed, and the Blues have already made their first player acquisition for their next project in Tosin Adarabioyo, who will arrive on a free transfer from Fulham.

While a top striker like Victor Osimhen or Benjamin Sesko remains a priority, Chelsea are also keen to bolster in the goalkeeper position.

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer rumours

Mads Hermansen was a key player in Leicester's promotion campaign under Maresca last season, sweeping up his defence was breached and also building play from the back, and now Chelsea have identified a player capable of a similar job.

Chelsea's new No.1?

"Chelsea are eyeing Las Palmas goalkeeper Alvaro Valles," report The Mirror.

"Valles' contract expires in 2025 and Las Palmas president Miguel Angel Ramirez is ready to sell after rejecting a £17 million bid from Nottingham Forest in January."

Valles broke through last season with some impressive stats, such as regaining possession a La Liga high 38 times. FootballTransfers values him at €4.5m, but that is on an upward trajectory.

READ MORE: Chelsea’s 10 most expensive transfers of all time

A new goalkeeper for Maresca would necessitate the sale of another currently on Chelsea's books as the club wrestle with FFP regulations.

Dorde Petrovic is the favourite to keep his place in the squad after ending the most recent season well, but Robert Sanchez and Kepa Arrizabalaga are both candidates for sale.

Sanchez and Kepa are valued at €21.2m and €14.7m by our in-house algorithm, and both should have takers, despite the latter's disappointing loan spell at Real Madrid, where he fell behind Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin in the pecking order.

The chances of Chelsea recouping the world record €80m they paid Athletic Bilbao for his services in 2018 are infinitesimally small, however.