Chelsea are now keen on signing a £6 million player who new manager Enzo Maresca has publicly called "fantastic", with the Italian set to have a role in the club's summer transfer policy.
Chelsea begin summer transfer plans as Maresca arrives
Putting pen to paper on a five-year deal with the option of a further year, Maresca was officially announced as Mauricio Pochettino's replacement in the Chelsea dugout on Monday this week.
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The former Man City coach and Pep Guardiola understudy joins Chelsea after winning the Championship with Leicester City last season, having secured them automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Maresca has already sealed his first signing as Chelsea head coach with the arrival of defender Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham, who makes the move across west London to Stamford Bridge after completing his medicals on Tuesday (Fabrizio Romano).
Games managed
53
Wins
36
Draws
4
Losses
13
Points per game
2.11
The Blues have been tipped for a busy summer window amid Maresca's arrival, with Chelsea eyeing a new goalkeeper, potentially another centre-back and a goalscoring striker to hand Maresca's side that extra potency going forward.
“Maresca believes in the Chelsea project around young players with a big future, he thinks it is a really exciting project," wrote transfer journalist Romano in a piece for CaughtOffside recently.
"Meanwhile, Chelsea are convinced he’s a super talented coach and that’s why he’s a name appreciated by both directors and owners, all convinced he can be the man for present and future.
"It will continue to be a busy summer at Chelsea. It won’t be completely crazy but they will try to make smart things happen, including a new goalkeeper and I expect them to try for at least one new centre-back, but it could be two. I also expect Chelsea to be busy with the striker position, and I mentioned many times Benjamin Sesko, who is highly rated at Chelsea but also by others like Arsenal and Manchester United.”
Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez is highly rated by Maresca, but it remains the case that the club could still elect to bring in an alternative in that department.
Chelsea keen on signing Leicester City keeper Mads Hermansen
As per The Athletic, Leicester City keeper and Denmark international Mads Hermansen is a candidate to come in. Indeed, Maresca is said to be a big fan of Hermansen with Chelsea keen. The 23-year-old, signed by Leicester for around £6 million from Brondby last summer, worked under Maresca as his first-choice shot-stopper for 2023/2024.
"I said many times, he’s a human being and can make a mistake," said Maresca on Hermansen last season.
"Daka can make a mistake missing a goal. Jamie can make a mistake. All the players. But unfortunately when you make a mistake as a keeper, you concede a goal. I have no problem at all. For me Mads was fantastic in the second half. He was not nervous but the people in the stadium were more nervous than him, for sure. But what I said to him: ‘Second half, when we play with you, if you play long, you go out. Continue in the same way.’ He showed personality. He continued to play short.”
