Talks begin to sign French superstar in £198m QUADRUPLE deal

Chelsea are in club-to-club talks with AC Milan for the signing of France starter, Mike Maignan, with the Blues seeking to conclude a four-signing spree worth close to £200m, according to reports.

Securing Champions League football on the final day of the season has put Chelsea in a strong position entering the summer transfer window. The presence of UCL football helped the Blues fend off Manchester United in the race to sign Liam Delap.

Chelsea will pay Delap’s £30m release clause, with the Ipswich Town frontman primed to sign a six-year contract running until 2031.

However, Delap will be the tip of the iceberg, with Enzo Maresca’s side aiming to complete three further deals – all of which will cost more than Delap.

Firstly, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano broke the news of Chelsea launching a move for superstar goalkeeper, Mike Maignan.

The AC Milan and France ace, 29, has entered the final year of his deal at the San Siro. With no new contract in sight, Chelsea sense an opportunity and club-to-club talks are underway.

If signed, Maignan would serve as a colossal upgrade on Robert Sanchez who has looked shaky at the best of times in a Chelsea shirt.

“Chelsea approach AC Milan to sign Mike Maignan as new goalkeeper,” reported Romano. “Mike Maignan has still not signed new contract at the club and Chelsea are now aware of the situation.

“He’s always been high on Chelsea list with clubs in talks, decision up to Milan.”

Maignan is France’s regular starter at international level and was named Serie A goalkeeper of the year in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns for Milan.

A prior report from CaughtOffside claimed Milan previously valued Maignan at €80m. But in lieu of his dwindling contract, they’ll now accept roughly half that fee (€40m / £34m) if reluctantly cashing in.

Jamie Gittens and Hugo Ekitike latest

Elsewhere, Chelsea have opted against signing Jadon Sancho outright after failing to convince the winger to accept a substantial pay-cut.

The Blues will now send Sancho back to Man Utd on June 30 and must pay the Red Devils a £5m penalty fee.

The Guardian recently claimed Chelsea had begun to eye Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens as a Sancho alternative. The Englishman is projected to cost £50m if changing clubs this summer.

Detailing the very latest on that pursuit, Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reported on Tuesday: “Chelsea remain keen on signing Jamie Gittens, especially following the decision that Jadon Sancho will leave the club once again.

“Borussia Dortmund have not yet received an offer from Chelsea for Gittens, who is currently preparing for the Club World Cup with Dortmund.

“However, Chelsea are in talks with Gittens, Dortmund, and his management. FC Bayern (Munich) are no longer seriously pursuing Gittens at this stage, as they are focusing on other profiles.”

The biggest deal of all could come in the striker position, with Delap on course to be joined by another new striker.

Chelsea aim to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike following the Frenchman’s breakthrough season in Germany.

Ekitike bagged 22 goals and 12 assists across all competitions and has the green light to leave Frankfurt this summer.

Alongside Liverpool, Chelsea are chasing Ekitike, though a move for the frontman is by no means imminent.

Liverpool aim to sell Darwin Nunez before ramping up their pursuit, while Ben Jacobs insisted a move will also take time to fall into place for Chelsea.

Furthermore, Ekitike’s €100m / £84m price tag could prove troublesome for Chelsea. That lofty valuation has not prompted Chelsea to throw in the towel, though they will aim to seal a deal at a lower price point.

Whether Chelsea will bite the bullet and pay full price will likely hinge on two things – player sales and what Liverpool do.

“As reported in May, Hugo Ekitike is not moving as fast as some German media reports suggests,” wrote Jacobs on X.

“Chelsea have Ekitike has one of several options, and are looking at another striker after Liam Delap, but nothing is that advanced yet and Frankfurt’s €100m asking price is an issue.”

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