da aposte e ganhe： According to reports on Transfermarketweb, Chelsea have joined Napoli and Valencia in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola this summer, although a move could depend on the future of Thibaur Courtois.
What’s the word, then?
da realbet： Well, the Blues are said to be interested in signing the Frenchman, who has two years left on his current deal with the Ligue 1 giants, according to Transfermarketweb.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has already brought in Willy Caballero from Manchester City this summer after Asmir Begovic after the Bosnia and Herzegovina international joined Bournemouth in a £10m deal but the Daily Star says the Italian boss is still looking for another stopper with the uncertainty surrounding the future of Courtois.
The Belgian is yet to sign a new contract with the Premier League champions and The Times reported last month that talks between the two parties had stalled over his £200,000-a-week wage demands.
How did Areola do last season?
The Frenchman made 27 appearances in all competitions for PSG, but despite playing all six of their Champions League group matches, he was dropped in favour of Kevin Trapp for their humiliating defeat over two legs against Barcelona in the round of 16.
Areola also found himself on the substitutes’ bench for their final 14 Ligue 1 games, and in an interview with French media outlet Telefoot last month he said he had no intention of being the club’s third-choice stopper next season if they plan on bringing in a new number one this summer.
Would he be a good signing for Chelsea?
While he has done well when called upon for PSG, the fact that he hasn’t established himself as the French outfit’s number one would certainly bring into question whether he would be good enough to be the Blues’ first-choice stopper if Courtois did go.
If the Belgian stays however, a move for the 24-year-old would make even less sense unless Areola is happy to be second-choice at Stamford Bridge, and Caballero is happy to be involved in the squad when one of the other two is unavailable.
What’s the verdict, then?
Well, it would seem as though Chelsea are keeping tabs on a number of goalkeepers in case Courtois leaves – and Areola is one of those – but a move surely won’t happen if the Belgian stopper stays.
In addition, the Blues may feel that they can do better than someone who hasn’t established himself as the number one choice at PSG, if they do have to replace Courtois in the future.
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