Chelsea are chasing Maignan: Kobel's stay at Dortmund secured!

Chelsea are chasing Maignan: Kobel's stay at Dortmund secured!

Chelsea FC have set their sights on a new goalkeeper. After interest in Gregor Kobel from Borussia Dortmund was noticeable in recent months, the Blues have now found an alternative option. How fussballeuropa.com According to reports, French national goalkeeper Mike Maignan from AC Milan is considered a possible new signing. Chelsea is considering this move as Kobel, considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, recently secured Champions League qualification with BVB.

The 27-year-old Kobel, whose market value is currently 40 million euros, has confirmed that he will stay at Dortmund after the successful season under coach Nico Kovac. Chelsea were already interested in Kobel in 2023, but he clearly rejected takeover talks regarding his decision about a possible move. His contract, which is valid until 2028, does not contain an exit clause and secures him an annual salary of around 10 million euros, making him one of the top earners in the squad.

New focus on Maignan

However, the situation at AC Milan is different. Maignan, who currently has no international competitive commitment for his club and acts as team captain, has so far shown no willingness to extend his contract. His contract runs until 2026 and back in January this year, Chelsea held initial talks with Milan over a possible transfer fee after the Serie A club failed to qualify for international competition, which could affect the player's value.

The Blues are currently in second place in the Premier League and are in stable form with ten competitive games without defeat. In this comfortable position and with a squad currently containing nine goalkeepers, the need for a shake-up is not pressing, but Chelsea could do with some additional competition at the goalkeeping position. Currently, Robert Sánchez and Filip Jørgensen share playing time, while Djordje Petrovic and Kepa Arrizabalaga return from their loan spells in the summer.

The search for stability

Dortmund, on the other hand, achieved partial success by qualifying for the Champions League, achieved by securing fourth place in the Bundesliga. Under these circumstances, Kobel's departure could still be possible if Dortmund does not perform consistently in the next few seasons. This shows the dynamics in the transfer market, in which Chelsea and other clubs must continue to make adjustments to their squads in order to remain competitive.

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will intensify their efforts to sign Maignan and what further developments will arise on the goalkeeper issue. The next few months could be crucial for the Premier League team's squad formation.