Mike Maignan could replace Robert Sanchez in goal at Chelsea next season.
After failing to sign him last summer, Chelsea are considering making another move for Maignan ahead of the 2026/27 season.
With that in mind, The Chelsea Chronicle has looked at some of their stats from the previous campaign.
Maignan and Sanchez were AC Milan’s and Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeepers last term so played plenty of football.
Maignan made 37 appearances in Serie A, while Sanchez made 35 in the Premier League. Statistically, the former did much better than the man he could be set to replace.
As per FBref, Maignan conceded 35 goals and kept 14 clean sheets. He was a safe pair of hands. The same cannot be said of Sanchez, who made some costly errors at the back.
In total, the Spaniard conceded 49 goals and only managed to keep nine clean sheets. His save percentage was 67.6%, which was significantly lower than Maignan’s 77.6%.
Where would Chelsea have finished if they signed Mike Maignan last summer?
He's being lined up as a potential replacement for Robert Sanchez yet again!
Sanchez is not a bad goalkeeper, but he did not show enough consistency last season. The numbers show that Maignan would be a clear upgrade on him, though there is another factor that needs to be considered: Chelsea’s struggling defence.
Sanchez was not helped by constant changes in central defence and the poor form of some of the players who started there.
Wesley Fofana, for example, was really unconvincing in Chelsea’s backline. Many Chelsea fans now want Fofana gone, with the Frenchman yet to justify the £70m fee the Blues paid for him.
If Chelsea continue to defend the way they have, Maignan is going to be vulnerable in goal. However, what the above shows is that the 30-year-old is capable of making saves.
Ultimately, if there is a chance to sign Maignan this summer, Chelsea should take it. Everything suggests he would be an upgrade on what they currently have.
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