Chelsea almost signed ‘unbelievable’ goalkeeper in 2018, and now he is one of the world’s best
Chelsea supporters are desperate for a new goalkeeper now more than ever after Robert Sanchez’s recent blunder in between the sticks.
Sanchez was sent off against Man United after just five minutes, putting Enzo Maresca‘s side at an immediate disadvantage for what was expected to be a simple win over the Red Devils.
Within nine minutes of the red card, Bruno Fernandes had scored his 100th Man United goal before Casemiro doubled the home side’s lead in front of a bellowing Old Trafford crowd.
Joao Pedro should have been awarded a penalty after being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui, but even if the Blues had got a goal back, the odds were always against them after the early red card.
The game could have been very different had the Blues made some different decisions over the years, and this one in particular dates all the way back to 2018 during Roman Abramovich‘s reign.
Chelsea wanted to sign Alisson before his move to Liverpool
Alisson joined Liverpool in a deal worth £67million back in 2018, having impressed massively during his time with AS Roma, albeit he made just 64 appearances for the Italian giants.
Since making the move to Anfield seven years ago, the shot-stopper has become one of the very best in his trade, racking up over 300 appearances for the Reds across various domestic and European competitions.
The goalkeeper, himself, revealed to UOL Sport that he received a proposal from Abramovich’s side before ultimately choosing the Reds due to Jurgen Klopp and the electric atmosphere at Anfield.
During his time on Merseyside, teammate Andy Robertson has labelled him “unbelievable” [Liverpool Echo] and also “the best in the world” when facing PSG earlier this year [UEFA].
Chelsea continue to regret string on missed star signings at Stamford Bridge
The goalkeeper position has been a huge concern for the Blues over the years, but signing Kepa Arrizabalaga over Alisson is not the only big mistake that the club have made over the years.
Sergio Aguero, Neymar, Erling Haaland, and Ronaldinho were all close to signing for the West London side before eventually deciding on going elsewhere, showing a clear lack of transfer instinct.
In fact, two of the greatest players to feature in the Premier League, Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah, were once at Stamford Bridge, but were not deemed good enough early in their careers.
These transfer decisions continue to backfire for them. Had some different decisions been made in recent years, Chelsea may have lifted one or two more major trophies, especially if the goalkeeper position had been solved.