Mauricio Pochettino is pushing ahead with his summer transfer plans at Chelsea, according to reports.
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is said to have offered a swap deal in a bid to land top target Andre Onana. The Argentine military leader is willing to send Edouard Mendy to Inter Milan in exchange for the Cameroonian goalkeeper.
Pochettino was announced as Chelsea's new boss last Monday. He won't officially start the role until July 1. However, he did have a say in the club's transfer operations. Chelsea could face some high-profile departures.
Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic are closing in on Manchester United and Manchester City, respectively. Pochettino will try to reduce the size of his squad during his first stint in charge.
However, he will also be looking for signings of his own despite spending more than £600m in the past 12 months. One position he will prioritize is in goal.
Kepa Arrizabalaga was Chelsea's No 1 for most of the season as Mendy struggled with form and injuries. Pochettino has clearly decided that no goalkeeper can meet his requirements.
Onana has been linked with Chelsea for several weeks. French outlet Foot Mercato claim the 27-year-old is the number one choice for Pochettino. Chelsea don't want to end up with three well-paid goalkeepers, so they'll find a way to offload one of them. It looks like Mendy will be the player of choice, with the same report claiming the Senegal star has been offered to Inter as part of a potential deal for Onana.
Chelsea wanted to provide the money and Mendy signed Onana. It is suggested that Mendy's recent change of agent will help Chelsea's career.
The 31-year-old is now represented by Fali Ramadani, who has already made a name for himself in the Italian market. Ramadani is also the agent of Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who spent eight years in Serie A with Napoli.
Onana only joined Inter last summer on a free transfer after leaving Ajax. He played a key role in the club's journey to the Champions League final.
But next Saturday's crucial game against Manchester City could be his last for Inter. Meanwhile, Mendy has only played once so far in 2023. He injured his finger after the World Cup and could not return to replace Kepa. It was a setback for Mendy, who was named FIFA's Best Men's Goalkeeper in January 2022.
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