According to reports, Chelsea opted to sign Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in favour of Atletico Madrid star Jan Oblak because the club rue their decision to spend £71million on Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Mendy, 28, signed a five-year deal with the club on Thursday after completing a £22.5million move from Ligue 1 club Rennes. Frank Lampard decided midway through last season that he wanted a new number one after Kepa’s performances between the sticks and the club are now keen to offload the Spaniard.
However, that could prove difficult after Chelsea’s decision to sign him for a club record £71million and to put him on a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
The club felt Kepa would become one of the world’s best but just two years into his time at the club they’ve had to sign a replacement and they’ve been left perplexed at how to handle the situation.
Though Oblak is widely considered as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world, the Athletic claim Chelsea didn’t want to repeat the same mistake by spending big on the Slovenian.
The La Liga giants value Oblak at around £80m and the goalkeeper would command bigger wages than Mendy, meaning Chelsea’s outlay on the Slovenian would far exceed the package offered to the Senegal international.
Chelsea had already spent around £210m before Mendy’s arrival and the club’s summer spending is likely over, though a late move for Declan Rice is not being completely ruled out. The club will now look to recoup some of their outlay by offloading some deadwood in Lampard’s squad.
Antonio Rudiger has been told he can leave the club on a permanent basis following Thiago Silva’s arrival, while Chelsea will listen to offers for Ross Barkley. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is attracting interest from Aston Villa and West Ham after being left out of the previous two matchday squads and Chelsea will listen to loan offers for the midfielder.