‘Extremely average’: Former Chelsea coach does not rate £30m player who Boehly reportedly wants to sign

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Former Chelsea goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon has slammed Everton and England’s number one Jordan Pickford.

Speaking to Eurosport, Lollichon, who worked at Cobham for 15-years, blasted Pickford after his World Cup quarter-final performance on Saturday.

Pickford and his compatriots faced a formidable French side in a bid to reach a third successive semi-final at a major tournament.

It was an encounter between two of the competition’s top scorers, yet the deadlock was broken by an unlikely source.

Aurelien Tchouameni lined up a strike from range, and managed to squeeze his effort past Pickford’s stranded arm.

Tchouameni had only previously scored once for his country, and eight times in 95 appearances for Monaco.

But the midfielder managed to find the corner of the England net to send France in front.

Jordan Pickford criticised by ex-Chelsea man

Perhaps it was the surprise element that beat Pickford, or the fact he had several bodies between him and the ball.

Even so, it was a shot that the £30m Everton ‘keeper will feel he should’ve prevented.

He could do little about Olivier Giroud’s header late in the second-half, the moment that eventually decided the tie.

However, Lollichon did not share this view, as he went on the offensive against England’s shot-stopper.

“I saw the controversy started by English journalists who preferred Jordan Pickford to Hugo Lloris. But the English journalists who judge the goalkeepers are as good as the English goalkeepers… It’s absolutely ridiculous,” said the ex-Chelsea instructor.

“Pickford is extremely average and that shows the level of specialists in England. As soon as one of them makes four saves and multiplies that over a few matches, he is selectable… On Giroud’s second goal, Pickford is almost behind his line when (Antoine) Griezmann crosses…”

This is certainly not a great indictment from a man formerly cut from the Stamford Bridge cloth about a player Chelsea reportedly want to sign.

Todd Boehly has apparently identified Pickford as a possible replacement for Edouard Mendy or Kepa Arrizabalaga, with Graham Potter echoing his owners stand-point.

Mendy’s potential departure from London has been mentioned on numerous occasions during the World Cup.

Yet, after Lollichon’s less than charming review of Pickford, maybe Boehly might reconsider selling Chelsea’s goalie for now.