Chelsea: Andre Gomes latest; back-up goalkeeper targeted; Spaniard could leave

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In Thursday’s Chelsea transfer round-up, we begin with a potential departure from Stamford Bridge.

According to Sky Sports, Spanish forward Pedro says he has held initial talks about a return to Barcelona after just a single season spent at the club.

The 28-year-old, who is currently on international duty at Euro 2016, was signed for £22m from Barca last summer, but struggled to make an impact during his debut season in the Premier League.

He made 29 Premier League appearances in total (including 24 starts), during which he scored seven goals and notched two assists.

While he hardly set the English top flight on fire, his ability, matched with his ability to play a number of attacking roles, makes him a huge asset for Chelsea.

A player with plenty still to offer the Blues, one of Antonio Conte’s first tasks upon arrival at Stamford Bridge should be to convince Pedro to remain at the club.

Schooled at Barcelona, where he looks likely to return if he departs, Pedro is among an elite group of footballers who can play the game a gear above his counterparts.

After a season warming to the English game, he will surely hit the ground running during his second campaign in London.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are believed to be in talks with out-of-contract France keeper Steve Mandanda.

That is according to the Guardian, who suggest the Blues have discussed terms with the veteran shot stopper over a potential move this summer.

It is claimed the Blues are preparing for Asmir Begovic’s exit and see Mandanda, who has been voted the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 an impressive four times,  as the ideal replacement.

Begovic is undoubtedly a player capable of playing a starring role at an English top flight club – he did just that during his time at Stoke – and being an understudy at Stamford Bridge is a role that represents a fantastic waste of his talents.

Having said that, the same could be said for Mandanda, who has remained a consistent shot stopper in France over the years.

He had a relatively decent season for Marseille this year despite their struggles, keeping nine clean sheets in 36 appearances, while averaging 2.38 saves for every goal the club conceded.

Unfortunately for Chelsea, first choice keeper Thibaut Courtois was not wholly reliable last term, following suspensions and periods of suspect form, meaning that having a capable second-string ‘keeper was almost a necessity.

For the Blues, it could be a case of one-in one-out in the back-up role in the next few seasons, as they look to ensure a top quality number two is always on hand – at least until Courtois realises his absolute potential.

Finally, after reports by Sky Sports, suggesting Valencia have already rejected a £32 million offer from Chelsea for Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes, the club have now been told they will have to pay £42 million to acquire his services.

Gomes impressed for his national side in their 1-1 draw with Iceland on Tuesday night, fashioning five chances for his team-mates, completing 85% of his attempted passes and recording three interceptions. It was the 22-year-old’s ball into the box that resulted in his country’s opening goal of the tournament, scored by former Manchester United man Luis Nani.

Confident at picking pockets and creating space in the final third – be it with a killer pass or simply taking on an opponent with the ball at his feet – Andre Gomes would bring a new level of dynamism in central midfield for the blues.

Whether he would be an upgrade on the club’s current options is certainly debatable, but the 2015 champions have always excelled when being able to boast strength in depth, and under Conte, the situation is unlikely to be different.

The suggested price-tag is a lot to pay for a player unproven in the Premier League, but with potential in mind, he could prove to be a decent purchase.

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