Everton’s prized asset is top priority for Chelsea

Chelsea wants to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga with Everton No.1 Jordan Pickford.

We all have been aware about Chelsea’s mega money spending after being held up by transfer embargo last summer. Timo Werner from RB Leipzig and Hakim Ziyech from Ajax are done deals while Frank Lampard mulls over generating funds for Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Kai Havertz.

While majority additions have been on the front end of the pitch, the Blues are aware of their shortcomings in defence. Ben Chilwell is another touted option, as Chelsea seek to improve on Marcos Alonso at left back. However, there is another position that Frank Lampard is bothered about, the goalkeeper.

Kepa Arrizabalaga moved to London in 2018 after Chelsea paid £72 million release clause to Athletic Bilbao, making the Spaniard the most expensive goalkeeper on the planet, even overshadowing Liverpool’s acquisition of Alisson for £67 million.

If you ask a Chelsea fan or a decent football follower whether Kepa has lived up to the mark, he’ll probably laugh at your face. Forget about competing with the likes of Alisson, Ederson and David De Gea for the best keeper in the league, at times Kepa hasn’t even looked the best keeper at Stamford Bridge.

Under Maurizio Sarri, we all remember the famous Carabao Cup final where Arrizabalaga refused to get substituted in the final moments of the game. Willy Caballero was furious, Sarri was furious and so were the Blues fans.

Under Lampard too, Kepa hasn’t looked neat enough. His dip in form is too frequent and that has costed Chelsea dearly from time to time. The most recent example is Chelsea’s game against Manchester City where a lapse in concentration saw him give away the ball to the Citizens and then making up for it by pulling out a brilliant save off Bernardo Silva’s shot.

The Chelsea manager is now growing tired of Kepa’s irregularities in form and is open to replacing him. According to the Express, Everton keeper Jordan Pickford is Chelsea’s top priority in the goalkeeping department. The Blues hierarchy has decided enough is enough and parting ways with Kepa is the only way forward.

More from Prince Rupert's Tower

• Everton 0 Arsenal 1: Blues fall to third home defeat
• Further chaos in Everton takeover as other lenders not keen on 777 Partners
• Everton need repeat of Arsenal win to kick-start their season on Sunday
• More madness at Everton as Moshiri now agrees to sell club to 777 Partners
• Everton takeover talk cools after UK govt doubts and further questions

Fiorentina’s Bartlomiej Dragowski is also another option on the list but Frank Lampard’s priority remains Pickford. The 26 year old England No.1 has enjoyed immense success at Goodison Park. The Everton shot stopper made his national team debut while being at Merseyside, putting a string of impressive performances that saw him become England No.1, taking the title from Joe Hart.

Since then, Jordan Pickford has been England and Everton first choice keeper and has never failed to amaze people around him. Last season, the 26 year old managed to keep 14 clean sheets in 38 Premier League, sitting joint third in the Golden glove race.

One might argue that his form has been on the lower end this term but his quality can’t be questioned. Everton defence in general has been shoddy baring Mason Holgate and Lucas Digne.

Everton won’t be open to even thinking of selling Jordan Pickford to Chelsea or any other team, especially considering the vision of Carlo Ancelotti to make the Toffees as strong as the likes of top six. It will take a great deal of persuasion from Chelsea to even bring Everton to the negotiations table.

However, the case might be different if Jordan Pickford demands a transfer but considering what he has achieved individually at Goodison Park, he wouldn’t think of moving out of respect. Lastly, the whole idea behind Ancelotti’s resilient Everton team also revolves around a strong defensive structure and the Toffees prized asset is an obelisk in the system.

Will Jordan Pickford move to Chelsea to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga?