Chelsea target Las Palmas custodian Alvaro Valles
Chelsea are gearing up for a busy summer transfer window under new manager Enzo Maresca, aiming to reinforce key areas of the squad to align with Maresca’s possession-based system.
According to the Mirror, the Blues are eyeing a move for Las Palmas shot-stopper Álvaro Valles, as they believe his ball-playing ability from the back will seamlessly integrate into Maresca’s tactical approach. Maresca, the former Leicester manager, prioritizes having a goalkeeper who can build play from deep and contribute to possession-based football.
During his tenure at Leicester, Maresca relied on goalkeeper Mads Hermansen as a sweeper keeper, valuing his excellent ball-playing skills from the back. Now, Chelsea seeks a similar style of goalkeeper, with Valles emerging as a compelling target. His impressive stats from last season position him as one of the best ball-playing goalkeepers, making him an intriguing prospect for the Blues.
Valles showcased his prowess as the best sweeper-keeper in Europe’s top-five leagues this season, regaining possession an impressive 38 times—more than any other goalkeeper. Additionally, his remarkable reflexes saw him prevent the second-most goals in La Liga, just behind Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Under Maresca’s coaching philosophy, even goalkeepers are utilized as outfield players, emphasizing the need for a custodian who excels both in goalkeeping duties and as a contributor to outfield play. Valles ticks all the boxes, positioning himself as one of the elite goalkeepers capable of dictating play from the back for Chelsea.
Bringing in Valles would necessitate strategic squad management, as the Blues aim to strike a balance between bolstering their squad with new signings and offloading surplus players. With an influx of goalkeeping talent, Chelsea must prioritize identifying and selling players deemed surplus to requirements at the back.
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The return of Arrizabalaga adds another layer of complexity to Chelsea’s goalkeeper situation. Manager Enzo Maresca and his coaching staff will need to assess each goalkeeper’s suitability for the team’s tactical approach and make informed decisions to ensure squad cohesion and depth.