Chelsea have just submitted bid to sign 27-year-old, Lampard wanted him during his first stint

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Chelsea have now made a bid for AC Milan glovesman Mike Maignan – a player Frank Lampard wanted during his first stint in charge.

That is according to La Repubblica in Italy (print version via FC Inter News).

If the bid to sign Mike Maignan fails, Chelsea have another trick up their sleeve.

What’s the story?

Well, the Italian news outlet believe Chelsea have now made a €60m (£52m) bid to sign Maignan from AC Milan.

It comes amid doubts over the quality of Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy, as Mauricio Pochettino aims to sign a new No.1 this summer.

Maignan has enjoyed an outstanding 2022/23 campaign, keeping ten clean sheets in 29 appearances while conceding just 27 goals in those outings.

The 27-year-old France international’s efforts in between the sticks for AC Milan helped the Italian giants reach the UEFA Champions League semi-final in the 2022/23 season, as well as securing fourth place in Serie A.

La Repubblica add that Chelsea will make a player-plus-cash offer for Inter Milan glovesman Andre Onana, including Kalidou Koulibaly, if the bid for Maignan is rejected.

Chelsea have wanted Maignan for years

If Chelsea manage to sign Maignan this summer, it would signal the end of a transfer pursuit which has been years in the making.

A story from le10sport in July 2020 claimed that Lampard wanted to sign the Frenchman after failing to be convinced by Kepa.

Maignan eventually left Lille for AC Milan and Chelsea signed Mendy instead, but now, with the Senegal international suffering a similar fate to Kepa at Stamford Bridge, the interest has been resurrected by Chelsea.

Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato has added that Pochettino is happy to offload Mendy to Inter Milan as part of the Onana bid if Koulibaly is not wanted, so it seems he has no future at Stamford Bridge under the Argentine.

Be sure to keep an eye on the situation, as we await AC Milan’s response to the bid.