Time is short.
Enzo Maresca’s first year at Stamford Bridge was one of sharp turns and silver edges—Champions League qualification secured, Europa Conference League lifted.
It was enough to earn the board’s trust and, more importantly, their cheque book. This summer, the focus narrows: a goalkeeper.
Mike Maignan’s name now echoes through Chelsea’s corridors. At 29, the AC Milan captain faces the final year of his contract, with no renewal in sight.
That uncertainty has opened the door, and according to Caught Offside, Chelsea have stepped forward. Maignan, who lifted Ligue 1 with Lille and Serie A with Milan, has the medals and the mettle. His valuation—around £21 million according to transfermarkt—reflects both his pedigree and the ticking clock on his deal.
Maresca knows what he’s buying: reflexes that break strikers’ hearts, calm distribution under pressure, authority in the air. And leadership. The kind that keeps a defence in shape when the match begins to unravel.
Milan’s absence from European football next season may tempt them to cash in. For Chelsea, the timing is perfect.
Robert Sánchez’s inconsistency left gaps too wide for ambition. Maignan could seal those fractures, giving Maresca the stability to push higher.
But the race is against the calendar. The FIFA Club World Cup looms in under two weeks. Maresca will want Maignan in blue before the first whistle, alongside other reinforcements.
Because in football, as in life, the right move made late is no move at all.