According to an Italian newspaper, AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan’s future could be decided this month amid links with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.
Chelsea’s goalkeeping situation changed dramatically this summer as they traded Edouard Mendy to Al-Ahli and loaned Kepa Arrizabalaga to Real Madrid. They signed Robert Sanchez from Brighton as their new goalkeeper and Djordje Petrovic from the New England Revolution as his backup.
However, in a recent appraisal of Chelsea’s team, Jamie Carragher stated that the goalkeeping position, along with three other responsibilities, must be upgraded if the club is to reclaim its Premier League title challenger status.
There is little doubt that Maignan would be an adequate upgrade over what they now have. According to Calciomercato, he is one of the top five goalkeepers in the world.
The Italian source acknowledged Chelsea’s attempts to flatter Maignan, who has also been linked with a return to PSG, where he previously grew through the academy ranks.
Both suitors, however, may miss out on the France international. His priority, according to Calciomercato, is to renew his contract with Milan.
Maignan is currently under contract with the Rossoneri until 2026. His current employers intend to increase his compensation by extending his contract until 2028.
After recent phone communication, Milan and Maignan’s agents will meet for the first time in person to discuss a renewal within the next 20 days.
Maignan’s ideal wage range is between €6 million and €7 million (£100,000 to £117,000 per week). Milan is offering roughly €5.6 million (just over £93,000 each week).
In 2021, he was signed from Lille, where he was the reigning Ligue 1 champion, and he went on to win Serie A in his first season in Italy. His entire record for Milan includes 74 appearances and 32 clean sheets.
At the age of 28, a new contract with Milan would bind him to the club for his prime years, putting him out of reach of clubs like Chelsea.
Sanchez is deserving of Chelsea’s trust.
For the time being, Mauricio Pochettino would be well to put his faith in Sanchez, who deserves time to show himself after taking over as starting goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge.
Sanchez was initially hired to give competition for Arrizabalaga, but he has previously been a Premier League no.1 at Brighton and might prove his worth over time. He is still only 25 years old and has the potential to become a more trustworthy choice than he is now.
Chelsea has been chopping and reshaping their team in recent transfer windows, spending more than £1 billion, so adding another step to the revamp would be needless given that they have only recently reinforced.
Indeed, their interest in Maignan may have started before they signed Sanchez. Naturally, a player of the Frenchman’s stature should remain a priority for the most ambitious teams, but Chelsea have found an alternative answer in which they must now place their trust, especially if Milan win the contract renewal battle.
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