Edouard Mendy likely to leave Chelsea

Chelsea are looking to sell one of their two first-team goalkeepers, 90min understands, with Edouard Mendy currently the likeliest to leave this summer.

31-year-old Mendy, who joined Chelsea in 2020 and played a huge role in the team’s Champions League triumph in his debut season, has been benched for the second half of the campaign in favour of Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Both goalkeepers will enter the final two years of their contracts this summer and, as a result, Chelsea are open to offers for both Mendy and Kepa.

Despite his recent string of starts, 90min understands that Chelsea would prefer to cash in on Kepa, who became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper when he moved to Stamford Bridge for £71.6m in 2018, but his high wages have long complicated plans to get the Spaniard off the books.

That salary is again expected to limit Kepa’s options this summer and could push Mendy closer to the exit door, with the Senegal international’s pay packet understood to be significantly lower.

As a result, Mendy is seen as the easier goalkeeper to sell and it is hoped that the Champions League and Club World Cup winner will attract plenty of interest.

Linked to these plans is Chelsea’s desire to sign a new starting goalkeeper, and the Blues have voiced their interest in a number of potential options from across Europe.

Inter’s Andre Onana is a target for Chelsea, who would be prepared to offer either Mendy or Kepa to the Serie A side in an attempt to drive down his price tag, while Brighton’s Robert Sanchez and Brentford’s David Raya are being eyed and boast several years of Premier League experience. Porto’s 23-year-old stopper Diogo Costa is also admired.

Chelsea also have 19-year-old Gabriel Slonina on the books. The American international, signed from Chicago Fire last year, has impressed with the Under-21 side this season and is in line for a loan move for his first taste of senior football in Europe.