EPL: Chelsea Found £40m Replacement For Kepa Arrizabalaga At Stamford Bridge

Chelsea are reportedly preparing a £40 million offer to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana as a replacement for Kepa Arrizabalaga.

With the incoming new manager expected to make recruiting a new No.1 a priority, Mauricio Pochettino is still in pole position to succeed Graham Potter on a permanent basis.

Despite having his best season since his club-record transfer in 2018, Kepa Arrizabalaga has struggled to live up to the standards set by previous Chelsea goalkeepers Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois.

Edouard Mendy, recommended by Cech himself, initially impressed but has seen his form decline rapidly and is set to leave the club this summer after rejecting multiple contract offers.

Onana, who recently returned to Inter after serving a nine-month ban for testing positive for a banned substance, has resurrected his career with the Italian side.

The Champions League semi-finalists are demanding £40 million for the Cameroon international, but his modest wage demands could make the deal relatively straightforward to conclude.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will be looking to end their run of six consecutive defeats as they face Bournemouth, who have all but secured their Premier League status with a series of impressive results.

Some of Chelsea’s recent signings, including Raheem Sterling, have faced criticism in recent weeks. Sterling himself has admitted to suffering the lowest point in his career but sees it as a learning curve and an opportunity to become stronger as a team.

‘Personally, this is one of the lowest points in my career,’ Sterling told Sky Sports. ‘This might sound a bit weird, but it is also a great learning curve.

‘It’s been pretty smooth sailing winning, winning and winning but sometimes in life stuff gets thrown at you and it is a challenge that I’m looking forward to, hitting it head on and not trying to hide from it.

‘It will only make me stronger and also the group stronger. These challenges, not in just football but life as well, it’s crucial to how we deal with things and how we kick on after.’

As Chelsea continue to plan for the future, their immediate focus will be on turning around their recent poor form and finishing the season on a high.

The potential signing of Onana could be a step in the right direction as they look to rebuild their squad and challenge for silverware next season.