- 1 hour ago
Chelsea LAUNCH €70m bid but could lose ‘WORLD-CLASS’ star
Robin Bairner
- 3 Feb 2025 02:12 CST
- 3 min read
Chelsea are ready to spend €70 million to secure the signing of Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregory Kobel, according to reports from Germany.
Chelsea have been plagued with goalkeeping issues this season, with Robert Sanchez not coming up to standard in net for Enzo Maresca’s side.
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Current ETV
Robert Sánchez
GK
Chelsea
Robert Sánchez
GK
Chelsea
ETV Range
€12M - €20M
The 27-year-old has been guilty of conceding several soft goals this season, which has been one of the reasons that the club’s unexpected title push has faded in recent weeks.
Now Chelsea are ready to launch a spectacular bid for Switzerland international Kobel in a bid to solve this long-standing problem. Bild (via FussballTransfers) indicates that they are willing to pay up to €30 million for the keeper.
Kobel, also 27, only has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €27.8m, which suggests that the Blues will pay well over the odds for him.
Indeed, at the price suggested, he would become the second-most expensive goalkeeper in history. The only occasion where a keeper moved for a bigger price was Kepa Arrizabalaga, who signed for Chelsea from Athletic Club in 2018 for €80m. Blues fans need little reminder how that deal has turned out, with the Spaniard now keeping goal at Bournemouth on loan from the Stamford Bridge side.
Kobel, who was linked to the Blues in December, wants to leave Dortmund, apparently unhappy that he has been stripped of the second captaincy at the club.
Any deal, however, will not take place until the summer, which means that Chelsea are stuck with Robert Sanchez until that point.
Chelsea already have a ‘world-class’ keeper
While Chelsea’s goalkeepers at Stamford Bridge might be struggling for form, Djordje Petrovic is impressing on loan at Strasbourg.
“He’s a world-class goalkeeper,” Liam Rosenior, head coach of the Ligue 1 side, told the press.
Petrovic, 25, has been sent on loan to get first-team experience, with Enzo Maresca specifically wanting him to improve his distribution.
Current ETV
Đorđe Petrović
GK
Strasbourg
Đorđe Petrović
GK
Strasbourg
ETV Range
€9M - €15M
The Serbia international posts a save percentage of 74.1% in Ligue 1 this season, conceding 26 goals from an expected 28.5 based on post-shot xG, meaning he has allowed 2.5 goals fewer than average.
Petrovic has also become increasingly active in terms of his sweeping behind the Strasbourg defence and appears more comfortable going short with his passing, which is exactly what Maresca wants to see.
