Chelsea reportedly made numerous enquiries over a move for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan over the summer but were put off by the Rossoneri's extortionate price demands.
The Blues' chaotic summer of change was not just limited to the outfield positions, as new head coach Enzo Maresca also oversaw a couple of alterations in the goalkeeping department.
Chelsea prised Denmark's Filip Jorgensen away from Villarreal, while allowing Djordje Petrovic and Kepa Arrizabalaga - who remains the most expensive goalkeeper on the planet - to join Strasbourg and Bournemouth on loan respectively.
Despite the capture of the highly-rated Jorgensen, Robert Sanchez has cemented himself as Chelsea's number one in the early portion of 2024-25, but he failed to fully convince in Saturday's 4-2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Sanchez is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2030, while Jorgensen's deal runs for seven seasons until 2031, but both men could have been bumped further down the pecking order this summer.
Chelsea 'baulked' at Milan price demands for Maignan
© Imago
According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport - via Metro - Chelsea made a concerted effort to bring Maignan to the club and touched base with Milan several times to enquire over a move.
Maignan rose to prominence in his homeland with Lille, helping Les Dogues capture the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title before leaving for San Siro in a €16.4m (£13.7m) deal that same summer.
The 29-year-old has enhanced his reputation as one of the best shot-stoppers on the globe during his time in Milan, keeping 46 clean sheets in 117 games and also succeeding Hugo Lloris as France's new number one.
Maignan has actually never signed a contract extension at San Siro and could leave for nothing in 2026, but the report adds that Chelsea were quoted a mammoth €80m (£66.8m) to sign the Frenchman over the summer.
Both the Blues and Bayern Munich were supposedly put off by Bayern's price demands, and Maignan himself is also said to be keen to stay in Milan as his representatives discuss a new deal with San Siro chiefs.
Chelsea avoid potential repeat of Kepa situation
© Imago
Had Chelsea bowed to Milan's demands and paid the full £66.8m they were after to sell Maignan, the 29-year-old would have become the second-most expensive goalkeeper in the world, only behind Kepa.
The Blues saw enough of the former Athletic Bilbao star to shell out a whopping £71.6m for his services six years ago, but the 29-year-old has not hit the heights that were expected of him in West London, quickly losing his place to Edouard Mendy.
Kepa was sought out by Real Madri manager Carlo Ancelotti to stand in for the injured Thibaut Courtois last season, but with Andriy Lunin impressing in between the sticks, he ended the campaign as Los Blancos' third-choice goalkeeper.
Maignan is much further along in his career than Kepa was when he commanded a world-record fee, but Chelsea seem to have learned their lesson about spending astronomical amounts of money on goalkeepers, and the Spaniard will surely leave permanently for a significant loss in 2025.
Ben Knapton
