Chelsea face a battle with Manchester United for once singing
Chelsea are considering a move for Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel but could face stiff competition from Manchester United, according to reports.
Robert Sanchez’s position as first-choice keeper has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks after a number of high-profile errors from the Spaniard.
While Enzo Maresca has repeatedly stood by his keeper in interviews, insisting he will remain first choice for the rest of the season, the Chelsea boss offered no guarantees heading into next season.
Should Sanchez be dropped next season, the Blues already have several alternatives to take on his mantle.
Filip Jorgensen arrived from Villareal last summer and has played in cup competitions this season, while the club could also turn to Djordje Petrovic again with the Serb enjoying an impressive campaign on loan at Strasbourg.
Young Belgian keeper Mike Penders is also set to arrive at the start of next season to provide competition but, according to The Independent, Chelsea could instead head back into the market and look to secure a deal for Dortmund shotstopper Kobel.
While a deal is extremely unlikely to happen in January, Chelsea could launch a bid for the Swiss international in the summer despite the 27-year-old having a contract with the Bundesliga club until 2028.
However, the Blues will not have a free run at Kobel, with the report adding that United have a long-standing interest in the Dortmund keeper and may consider making a move to upgrade upon Andre Onana.
A deal for either club could prove costly, however, with other reports suggesting that Dortmund could demand a fee of between €70m-80m (£58-66m) for their prized asset.
Kobel has made 143 appearances in all competitions since joining Dortmund from Stuttgart back in 2021, while twice being named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season.
United are considering a replacement for Andre Onana
United, however, may be forced to prioritise rebuilding other areas of Amorim’s team in the summer, espeically if their financial outlook has not improved greatly.
Furthermore, not everyone is convinced that United even need to consider replacing Onana, with former Red Devils great Edwin van de Sar confident that the Cameroonian has all the tools required to succeed.
‘I think that’s it quite early but Andre [Onana] has a fantastic career in front of him,’ the Dutchman told Oddspedia.
‘He’s gaining more experience. He has all the qualities that a goalkeeper needs so I’m sure for the next five to six years he will keep improving.
‘He has the right attitude to be the goalkeeper for Man United for a very long time.’
Amorim is already closing in on his first signing since replacing Erik ten Hag, with a fee agreed to bring talented wing-back Patrick Dorgu from Lecce to Old Trafford in the final days of the January window.
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