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Chelsea are looking to finalize a deal to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana in the summer transfer window, reportedly.
Onana joined the Serie A giants on a free transfer last summer after his contract with Ajax expired.
In 2021, the Cameroonian shooter was suspended for nine months by UEFA after testing positive for a banned substance.
He was not even allowed to train at Ajax premises and when he was available again, he struggled for playing time.
After a difficult period in his career, Onana returned to enjoy football with Inter.
He has had a superb campaign and is a big reason why his side have defied the odds to reach the last four of the Champions League, where they will face city rivals AC Milan.
There have been multiple reports in the last month or so linking Onana with a move to Stamford Bridge.
One report said Chelsea were hoping to trick Inter into selling by offering them €40m and Edouard Mendy for the 27-year-old.
And another later claimed so the Blues would be willing to give the Nerazzurri 40 million euros plus Kepa Arrizabalagawho is now the club’s first choice goalkeeper ahead of Mendy.
One of these offers would be quite interesting. That said, a new report from The Telegraph’s Matt Law has claimed Chelsea are interested in signing Onana for £40m, without mentioning a player going in the opposite direction.
Law says the Blues want to «maneuver into pole position» to land the Cameroon goalkeeper, with the Premier League club «particularly keen» to make it happen.
Obviously, right now there is no permanent head coach, so for the club to be very eager to sign a certain player is a bit shady, but modern football is a bit shady at best.
Mauricio Pochettino is expected to come in and the club «remain hopeful» they can agree a deal with the former Tottenham manager, the report adds.
Pochettino will have to give the club his blessing to sign Onana, with plans in place to bring in a new goalkeeper, midfielder and striker.
With Onana on the agenda, Chelsea will need to download Kepa and/or Mendy.
The report said they «should» let the latter leave at the end of the season after they «failed to agree a new contract» with the Senegalese «keeper».
Despite his better performances this season, offers for Kepa will also be «considered», although his departure is «less likely» due to his high salaries.
Inter are expected to ask for at least £40m for Onana and Chelsea will be happy to learn that the player’s salary «is likely to fit within the club’s salary structure».
Chelsea want a new striker, as mentioned earlier, and have a decision to make with Romelu Lukaku, who will return to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season following his loan spell at Inter.
Law says the Blues will ask Lukaku if he wants to be part of Pochettino’s project and that they should let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang go on a free transfer.
It is underlined that Chelsea will only be looking to make «two or three» key signings with the main aim of reducing the club’s bloated playing squad.
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