Chelsea considering surprise move for free agent as Kepa Arrizabalaga replacement - Reports
According to 90min, Chelsea are considering a move for former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, who is currently a free agent, as a replacement for Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Arrizabalaga is set to join Real Madrid as Thibaut Courtois' replacement. The Belgian suffered an ACL injury and will undergo surgery as a result. He is set to be out for a considerable while and Kepa is Bernabeu bound.
Chelsea have Robert Sanchez in their ranks and are now considering a surprise move for De Gea as well. The Spaniard is one of the greatest goalkeepers to ever grace the Premier League.
During his 12-year-long Old Trafford spell, De Gea made 545 appearances for the Red Devils, keeping 190 clean sheets. He is widely regarded as one of the finest shot-stoppers to ever grace English football.
At 32, De Gea remains a fantastic keeper, who won the Premier League Golden Glove last season for Manchester United. He could prove his worth yet again for the Blues and the Stamford Bridge Club could make a real bargain by signing the legendary goalkeeper for free.
Mauricio Pochettino backs Nicolas Jackson to be a success at Chelsea
With Christopher Nkunku out for the initial period of the season, Chelsea could rely on Nicolas Jackson to lead the team's attack for the 2023-24 campaign. Mauricio Pochettino relies on the player to do so.
The Gambian has signed in the summer transfer window from Villareal. The 22-year-old has the attributes to be a hit at Stamford Bridge. Speaking on Jackson, Pochettino said (via the Blues' website):
"He’s a young player but I think he has the quality to enjoy being here and to score goals. I think we are enjoying in the way we are working. He’s working really hard, the quality is there."
Pochettino went on to speak highly about Jackson's performances in the pre-season, saying:
"I think you could see in the pre-season games that he showed that quality. Of course La Liga is completely different from the Premier League. That’s one of the reasons it was good for us to play the Premier League Summer Series in America in pre-season, because it allowed us to test ourselves against Premier League teams, it was really good for us."
Nicolas Jackson scored 13 goals and provided five assists in 38 matches across competitions for Villareal during the 2022-23 season. Whether he can replicate the same sort of form for Chelsea this season remains to be seen.