Chelsea are moving swiftly to meet the demands of their incoming head coach, Enzo Maresca, as they prepare for the summer transfer window. Maresca, who is set to replace Mauricio Pochettino, has already seen the club make significant strides in shaping their squad for the upcoming season.
The first major acquisition under Maresca’s guidance is Tosin Adarabioyo, who will join Chelsea on a free transfer from Fulham. This move signals Chelsea’s intent to reinforce their defensive options as they gear up for the new campaign. However, their ambitions in the transfer market extend beyond just shoring up their defense.
One of Chelsea’s top priorities remains securing a high-caliber striker, with names like Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko prominently on their radar. In addition to strengthening their forward line, Chelsea is also looking to enhance their goalkeeping department, aiming to find a player who can match the reliability and ball-playing abilities of Mads Hermansen. Hermansen was instrumental in Leicester’s promotion campaign under Maresca last season, excelling both in shot-stopping and building play from the back.
According to The Mirror, Chelsea has set their sights on Las Palmas goalkeeper Alvaro Valles. Valles, whose contract runs until 2025, has been identified as a prime target. Las Palmas president Miguel Angel Ramirez is open to selling the player, especially after rejecting a £17 million bid from Nottingham Forest in January. Valles had a standout season, noted for his impressive stats, including regaining possession a La Liga high 38 times. His market value, currently estimated at €4.5 million by FootballTransfers, is expected to rise.
Acquiring a new goalkeeper would necessitate Chelsea offloading one of their current goalkeepers to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. As it stands, Dorde Petrovic is favored to retain his place in the squad, having finished the most recent season on a high note. Conversely, Robert Sanchez and Kepa Arrizabalaga are considered likely candidates for departure.
Sanchez and Kepa have respective market values of €21.2 million and €14.7 million according to Chelsea’s in-house algorithm. Both players are expected to attract interest, despite Kepa’s underwhelming loan spell at Real Madrid, where he found himself behind Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin in the pecking order. The prospect of Chelsea recouping the world record €80 million they paid Athletic Bilbao for Kepa in 2018 remains slim.
As Chelsea maneuvers through the complexities of the transfer market, the club’s focus is clear: they are determined to build a squad capable of competing at the highest level, while adhering to financial constraints. Maresca’s influence is already evident, and with further strategic acquisitions, Chelsea aims to fortify their team across all positions in preparation for the challenges of the new season.