Chelsea have been urged not to give up their transfer pursuit of Mike Maignan.
The AC Milan goalkeeper should be regarded as a must-sign player for the London club this summer, according to a former Blues star who insists their current options are not good enough.
Chelsea looked set to land the experienced France international on deadline day of the mini transfer window before the start of the FIFA Club World Cup.
However, the deal collapsed at the last minute with AC Milan holding out for their £25million asking price for the 29-year-old, who only has one year left on his contract.
Chelsea were only willing to pay around £15m, and so walked away from the deal.
The Blues have no shortage of options between the sticks with Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Djordje Petrovic and Mike Penders all in their squad.
The most expensive goalkeeper in history, Kepa Arrizabalaga, is also still on their books, but he is heading to London rivals Arsenal to become their No.2 in a £5m deal.
Having pulled out of the deal for Maignan, manager Enzo Maresca has insisted he and the club are ‘happy’ with their current selection of goalkeepers.
But former Chelsea defender Scott Minto isn’t, and neither are a lot of the Stamford Bridge faithful.
Minto insists signing a top-class goalkeeper should be a priority signing for the mega-rich Blues this summer and Maignan fits the bill perfectly.
And he’s pleaded with his old club not to give up the chase.
“They still need a new goalkeeper, in my opinion,” Minto told talkSPORT.
Maignan wants to be a Chelsea player and Minto insists he would bring much-needed experience and quality to this young Blues sideGetty Sanchez is the current Chelsea No.1 but the jury is out over whether he is top quality goalkeeper they need to compete for trophiesGetty“They have allegedly ended their pursuit of Mike Maignan, but I would be very surprised if that was the case.
“Maresca has come out and said they are happy with the keepers they’ve got – you’re not! If you were chasing Maignan and Milan had given you the price you wanted, then you would have brought him in, so clearly you’re not happy with your goalkeepers.
“As much as Sanchez has improved and he’s not messing around at the back so much, for me he’s still not a goalkeeper that will take Chelsea to a Premier League or Champions League title.
“So just go an extra few million for Mike Maignan.”
Chelsea have already splashed the cash this summer, bringing in over £100m worth of new talent including 18-year-old Brazilian prodigy Estevao Willian [£56m] and 22-year-old English striker Liam Delap [£30m].
But Minto insists while snapping out the world’s top young talent can be great for the future of the team, Chelsea need to sign some experienced pros to help them contend for silverware now.
Chelsea continue to spend big on young stars, including 22-year-old Delap as their new No.9AFP But Minto insists his former club needs to bring in experienced players tootalkSPORT“I want to see Chelsea buy a ready made goalkeeper, centre-half and centre-forward, ready made senior pros,” added the 1997 FA Cup winner with the Blues.
“Don’t forget, Chelsea had the youngest average starting 11 by 18 months per person in the Premier League last season, and the youngest average 11 ever in the history of the Premier League.
“So they need some experience. It can make a big difference.
“The goalkeeper role is so underrated, it really is, it’s so important. You win games in both boxes. With a top class goalkeeper and a top class striker.
“We’ll have to wait and see what happens with a striker, but they’ve got to get another keeper in my opinion.
“Chelsea keep buying youth, but now they need a sprinkling of senior pros in the squad and Mike Maignan would be the one.”
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