Report: Chelsea are now prime candidates to land “elite” player in 2026 | OneFootball

Chelsea are interested in signing the AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan in the coming months.

The 29-year-old goalkeeper will be a free agent at the end of the season, and he has been linked with an exit from the Italian club. According to a report from Gazzetta, Chelsea are now the prime candidates to sign the player in 2026.

It will be interesting to see if they decide to make a move for him in January. They will be able to sign him for a nominal price in the middle of the season. Alternatively, they could look to secure a pre-contract agreement with the player and sign him for free in the summer.

It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Chelsea keen on Mike Maignan

Chelsea were heavily linked with the goalkeeper during the summer transfer window. However, the move did not go through back then. The player is likely to be tempted to join Chelsea. It could be the ideal challenge for him at this stage of his career. He’s at the peak of his powers, and he will look to showcase qualities in the Premier League.

Chelsea are among the biggest clubs in the world, and they could provide him with the platform to fight for trophies. Signing a player of his quality on a bargain could prove to be a masterstroke for Chelsea.

Maignan would improve them

Mike Maignan in action for AC Milan in pre-season (Photo by Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

They are looking to build a team capable of fighting for trophies regularly, and the French international would be ideal for them. He has been labelled as an “elite” goalkeeper. There is no doubt that he’s one of the best in his position.

The 29-year-old could prove to be an upgrade on Robert Sanchez. The Spanish goalkeeper has been underwhelming since joining Chelsea, and he has been criticised for his inconsistent performances.