Chelsea to admit transfer mistake and address key issue in squad: report

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino looks up during the League Cup win over Middlesbrough.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Chelsea look set to admit another transfer mistake in the summer, as they look to address one key area of their squad.

Though the Blues didn't spend anything in the most-recent January transfer window, their £1bn spending over the three windows before that has been heavily criticised - especially with a lack of progress on the pitch.

Some positions also look like they're lacking the true quality Chelsea need to compete at the top of the Premier League once more, too, with the striker and goalkeeping areas a problem.

Robert Sanchez of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Chelsea FC at Goodison Park on December 10, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Chelsea will look to sell Robert Sanchez (Image credit: Getty Images)

But, according to Fichajes, Chelsea are willing to admit a mistake they have made in the market and sell Robert Sanchez to raise funds for Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

Chelsea only signed Sanchez last summer from Brighton, bringing the Spaniard to Stamford Bridge for £25m. He's not been entirely convincing, however, conceding 25 goals in 16 games in the Premier League prior to his injury. 

And now it seems Mauricio Pochettino could get the goalkeeper he desperately wants in Diogo Costa, who has earned plenty of plaudits in Portugal for his shot-stopping ability and comfortability on the ball. He's let in just 13 goals in 20 games this term, and at 24-years-old he certainly fits into the Blues' transfer policy.

Diogo Costa of FC Porto reacts during the Liga Portugal Betclic match between FC Porto and Sporting Braga at Estadio do Dragao on January 14, 2024 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) Chelsea target

Costa has caught the attention at Stamford Bridge (Image credit: Getty Images)

Costa won't come cheap, though. The highly-rated 'keeper is valued at £40m by Transfermarkt, but Porto reportedly want at least £70m for him. With his current deal running until June 2027, the Portuguese giants can feasibly afford to hold out for a figure as pricey as that, too.

Sanchez isn't the only goalkeeper that Chelsea could sell this summer to raise vital funds, though. Kepa Arrizabalaga is currently on loan at Real Madrid and looks nailed on to leave this summer. 

While he won't fetch the extortionate £72m fee he did in 2018, a sale would help free up some wages and bring in a little bit of money to help with the balance sheet. 

More Chelsea stories

Mauricio Pochettino says he has grown tired of having to 'explain' Chelsea's poor season.

Meanwhile, Declan Rice allegedly wanted to join Chelsea before his big move to Arsenal last year.

And the Blues are reportedly set out to miss on a wonderkid who wants to join a 'big club'.

Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.