Green, Courtois and Chelsea’s situation between the sticks

Chelsea have a sticky situation on their hands in regards to the goalkeeping position.

Chelsea look set to confirm their second signing of the summer transfer window and it’s certainly a player nobody would’ve expected. After an extremely quiet window thus far, the Blues look ready to announce the signing of English goalkeeper Rob Green. Green, 38, is rumored to be signing a one-year deal with the Premier League giants.

While this move may seem odd on the surface, it’s purely tactical. It’s unlikely Green will ever sniff the pitch in Chelsea blue, but his arrival is vital for the club. When Chelsea third-choice keeper Eduardo was sent out on loan to Vitesse, fans were left scratching their head. Even though it still makes little sense, it allowed the Blues to bring in an Englishman. Thus making space for Gary Cahill or Danny Drinkwater to depart the club. The Blues are set to cash in on the move — likely for the latter — as Green joins the club on a free transfer. Meanwhile, Drinkwater and Cahill are valued around £20-30 million on today’s market.

This still raises the question, who will suit up between the sticks as Chelsea’s first-choice keeper next season? With Thibaut Courtois reportedly pushing a move to Real Madrid, the Blues are left with just a few weeks to scramble and find a replacement. Courtois has confirmed his interest in a move to the Spanish capital for years, but a deal is now closer than ever. The 26-year-old’s contract is set to expire at year’s end, so Chelsea are likely to cash in on him rather than watch him leave for free next summer. However, the Blues and newly-appointed manager Maurizio Sarri have got to find a replacement before allowing the Belgian to depart.

With Willy Caballero coming back for another season and Green entering the equation as a No. 3, all that’s left to do is find a starter. It’s extremely unlikely Chelsea sign a keeper as talented as Courtois. Even when they were in the running for Alisson, Courtois is one of a handful of keepers in the world consistently labeled world class. So, what should Chelsea do next? Although it’d be nice to replace the Belgian with the likes of a David de Gea or Manuel Neuer, that’s not happening. There are a handful of realistic options for Courtois’ replacement.

First, Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel. Leicester have already seemingly found his replacement in Danny Ward and Chelsea have proven they can do business with Leicester in previous years. Of course, Schmeichel will cost a bit, but he’s a class keeper, as he showed the world this summer. Schmeichel’s quick feet and wonderful distribution skills are perfect for Sarri’s new system. An experienced and proven keeper, Schmeichel would be a fantastic Courtois replacement.

Next, Gianluigi Donnarumma. While the media will tell you Chelsea are interested in another Milan keeper, Pepe Reina, this seems highly unlikely given Reina signed for Milan only a few days ago. However, as Milan have found themselves in a bit of financial trouble, offloading Donnarumma would benefit them in the long run.

At 19, Donnarumma is one of the best young keepers in the world. He’s been a special talent for years and a player the Blues have kept their eye on ever since Antonio Conte joined the club back in 2016. While he may not be the perfect keeper for Sarri ball, he’s well on his way to becoming elite. In addition, as Alvaro Morata reportedly eyes a move away from Stamford Bridge with Italy being his preferred destination, maybe a swap deal could be in the works. However the clubs choose to do business, Donnarumma to Chelsea isn’t too far-fetched.

Finally, the most realistic option for the Blues: Jack Butland. Sure, Butland isn’t the best option available, but he’s a fantastic young keeper who deserves to be playing in the Premier League. With Stoke relegated to the Championship, Butland would be a decent, cheap replacement for Courtois.

Even though Chelsea will surely sell Courtois for a discounted rate due to the time left on his contract, it’d likely cost less than that amount to lure Butland away from Stoke. With Butland being English, his arrival would allow for the departure of both Cahill and Drinkwater. Therefore, Butland would provide Chelsea with stability in goal, a realistic option for years to come and he’d be a smart financial move.

Ideally, the Blues would love to keep Courtois as their first-choice keeper. He’s been a vital part of Chelsea’s success over the last few years and established himself as one of the world’s best. But with his family in Madrid and the bright lights of the Bernabeu calling, the Blues are fighting an uphill battle. There are only a few weeks left in the transfer window, but if Chelsea can sign Schmeichel, Donnarumma or Butland and allow Courtois to leave, both parties would come out satisfied.