15 June 2023 , 09:13
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Mauricio Pochettino intends to stick with Kepa Arrizabalaga as Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper, it has been claimed.
The Argentinian boss has been tipped to make tweaks to his squad upon officially taking over at Stamford Bridge on July 1. Goalkeeper is one of the positions which some have suggested is in need of reinforcements, after the Blues invested around £500m on new outfield players over the last two transfer windows.
A number of top keepers have been linked with a summer move, including Brighton's Robert Sanchez and Internazionale's Andre Onana. Kepa usurped Edouard Mendy as Chelsea's first choice keeper last season, though, and is seemingly set to keep the gloves under the new boss.
According to Sky Sports, Pochettino has no plans to replace Kepa as number one. However, that does not mean the Blues won't dip into the goalkeeper market.
Mendy is under contract until 2025, so Chelsea ought to be able to recoup a reasonable fee if they decide to sell up. The former Rennes man could find himself offloaded to make way for a new number two to compete with former club record signing Kepa.
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Chelsea are said to have other priorities when it comes to both ins and outs. This suggests the goalkeeper position is lower down the list than other areas, with the Blues dealing with interest in the likes of Mason Mount and Levi Colwill.
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Kepa reclaimed his starting spot at Chelsea last season (Getty Images)Colwill is on Brighton's radar after impressing on loan, while Manchester United appear to be leading the race for Mount. Neither are done deals yet, though, with Chelsea keen to bring in as much money as possible for the homegrown pair.
Another player who could be on the move this summer is Kai Havertz. The German international is the subject of interest from Arsenal, though Chelsea's asking price could prove to be a stumbling block.
Chelsea are expected to trim their squad this summer, after two big-spending windows left it bloated. New manager Pochettino may well have targets of his own, while January signing Malo Gusto is set to link up with the squad after finishing last season on loan at previous club Lyon.
Pochettino's side have a busy pre-season schedule, including a trip to the United States where their fixtures will include a friendly against Wrexham. They left it until mid-July to make their first summer signings last year, but may act more quickly this time around.
Chelsea have also discovered their fixtures for the upcoming Premier League campaign. The new manager will get up and running with a televised game against Liverpool, while a testing run in November and December will see then face four of last season's top six in succession.