Sources: Ugurcan Cakir an option for Chelsea to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea interested in the Turkish number one stopper

Chelsea have started to look at potential replacements for Kepa Arrizabalaga, should they manage to thrash out a deal to sell or loan him this summer.

Nothing is concluded there yet of course, but as I reported in my last newsletter, Lazio and Maurizio Sarri are very keen on signing Kepa on loan this summer, and they are in talks with Chelsea over a potential deal currently.

The Italian side are offering to pay 50% of Kepa’s wages, but Chelsea are just keeping it on the burners right now as they need to source a replacement and make a final decision on Kepa.

In terms of replacements, as I said last week I hadn’t heard of too many names right now, but I promised I would try and find some out.

I’ve managed to get one, and I am reliably told that Chelsea are looking at Turkey’s number one stopper, Ugurcan Cakir, as a potential Kepa replacement.

Cakir has been scouted by Chelsea for sometime and he was one of the goalkeepers scouted and put forward by Petr Cech last summer, alongside Edouard Mendy.

Of course, Chelsea went with Mendy in the end and that has turned out fantastically.

We will lose Mendy for a small chunk of the season when he goes to play for Senegal in the African Cup of Nations, so Chelsea will need a reliable and good goalkeeper to come in.

Cakir is a solid option and has good experience at the age of 25. He is only valued at around £19m on Transfer Markt, and could be a good inexpensive option for Chelsea.

He is still playing in Turkey for Trabzonspor, so he might be willing to make his big move to the Premier League despite knowing he could end up as mainly a backup choice.

Simon Phillips