Chelsea could have an ace up their sleeve in talks with AC Milan to sign Mike Maignan. The Blues have stepped up their pursuit of the goalkeeper this week, but negotiations already appear to have hit a stumbling block.
Maignan has asserted himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe over the past few seasons. However, as he is set to enter the final 12 months of his contract, Chelsea were hopeful of securing his services for a cut-price fee.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues feel that Maignan is worth just £8million due to his contract situation, whereas Milan are demanding £25m in talks. Such a gulf in valuations has thrown the deal into jeopardy, much to the frustration of manager Enzo Maresca, who ‘appreciates’ the 29-year-old and feels that he is the ideal option for his tactical style next season.
However, forgotten Chelsea star Armando Broja could be the key to unlocking an agreement. The Sun report that the striker is keen to leave Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis this summer, having spent the last two campaigns on loan at Everton and Fulham respectively.
With Liam Delap joining Chelsea, and another striker acquisition in the pipeline, a move away from the club could be beneficial for all parties – especially as Milan are one of the clubs to have already registered an interest in signing Broja.
The Italian outfit and Ajax have both contacted the Blues to sound out their interest in the Albania international. PSV and German side RB Leipzig have also held talks about the possibility of signing the 23-year-old.
Chelsea are willing to entertain approaches for their academy graduate, but they are demanding £20million for his services. Any sale would represent pure profit on the Blues’ books, but they may not be particularly interested in receiving a fee if they decide that Broja could be the ideal makeweight to securing a new No. 1.
A player swap deal or player-plus-cash agreement could therefore be beneficial for all parties, though it remains to be seen whether Chelsea feel their valuation of Broja is too much higher than the fee they would be willing to fork out for Maignan. Milan, in contrast, may feel that any type of deal is a win-win.