Chelsea are in need of a goalkeeper upgrade from Robert Sanchez, whose high-priced signing from Brighton was widely panned by Premier League pundits and Blues’ supporters alike.
They did sign one of the best young goalkeepers in Europe this past summer in Filip Jorgensen, who broke out as one of the best shot-stoppers in La Liga last season at Villarreal.
Jorgensen has yet to get the opportunity to start regularly for Chelsea, as manager Enzo Maresca has continued to prefer Sanchez. Meanwhile, Chelsea have a stockpile of goalkeeper prospects, as they evidently look to corner the market at the position.
But if Chelsea want to sign a world-class goalkeeper and arguably the most coveted player in the world at the position, then they could attempt to make a move for Gregor Kobel and take advantage of what may be an increasingly unstable situation at Borussia Dortmund.
Although Dortmund reached the Champions League Final last season, all has not been well at the Signal Iduna Park, as observed by the way club legends Mats Hummels and Marco Reus were pushed out of the club this summer.
Dortmund have been nowhere near Bundesliga title contention since Jude Bellingham left, and now Kobel is reportedly rethinking his future at the club despite having a contract through the 2027/28 season.
Per a report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Kobel is “disappointed and frustrated” with how Dortmund have stagnated as Bundesliga title contenders and doesn’t feel like they are regularly competing despite last season’s Champions League Final appearance.
Kobel could, therefore, be eyeing a transfer out of the club in the future, and Plettenberg says that multiple top sides in the Premier League are interested in the Swiss international.
The best goalkeeper in the Bundesliga, Kobel earned that honor a couple of seasons ago and actually made it into the mainstream spotlight with a big Champions League knockout display against Chelsea a couple of years back.
So Chelsea know firsthand how good the 26-year-old is, even if his save percentage this season is well under 65 compared to the mark of over 75 he hit during the 2023/24 season.
If there’s any chance Kobel is leaving Dortmund, which remains unlikely at this juncture despite the scathing nature of Plettenberg’s report, then Chelsea should absolutely do their due diligence in reviving one of the world’s top keepers as they look to return to their status as Premier League champions.
