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Steve Sidwell has tipped Chelsea to become genuine Premier League title contenders if they manage to secure the signature of Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma this summer. Sidwell made the claim after PSG left the Italian goalkeeper out of their squad to face Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, August 13.
The Blues have made a number of signings in the ongoing transfer window, but none of their new arrivals is a goalkeeper. Robert Sanchez is currently the team’s No. 1 in goal, having joined the west London club from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023.
While Sanchez has continued to retain manager Enzo Maresca’s trust, the Spaniard is infamous for his tendency to make errors in goal. Speaking on Sky Sports, Sidwell claimed the Blues could mount their strongest title challenge in years with Donnarumma between the sticks. When asked who needs Donnarumma the most out of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Manchester City, Sidwell said:
“I would say Chelsea. If they get him, they’ve got the biggest chance to win the Premier League title in a long time. What he did last season was absolutely incredible…
“I’ve seen [Robert] Sanchez when I was at Brighton, and I always had a question mark on him at Chelsea. I think if they get Donnarumma, it is huge, especially for the players in front of him – the defenders, the whole squad.”
After it was revealed that Donnarumma had been excluded from the squad to face Spurs, the goalkeeper himself took to Instagram on Tuesday, August 12, to announce his departure from the club.
“They’ve got a relatively young squad” – Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler predicts where Chelsea will finish in the 2025/26 Premier League season
Robbie Fowler predicted Chelsea to finish in second position at the end of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, tipping his former side Liverpool to defend their title.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Fowler stated that the Blues have great players and a young squad, adding that that will build on the momentum from their Club World Cup triumph. He said:
“I think they were a good team last year, in all fairness. I think they’ve got great players. They’ve got a relatively young squad. They had that season last year with the culmination of winning the Club World Cup.”
“I think everyone will be buoyed and buzzing around the place because of that. I think that will give them the confidence and rhythm to go into the season and get wins.”
Enzo Maresca's me finished fourth on the league table last season behind Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City.
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Ezekiel Olamide
Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel's journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles' fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium's incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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