Chelsea will NOT sell back-up goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to Bournemouth for £12m unless they find a replacement for Thibaut Courtois
Antonio Conte has too much to lose if he lets his top-class back-up goalie leave before February without a great replacement
ASMIR BEGOVIC will be forced to sit on the Stamford Bridge sidelines until the summer if Chelsea cannot find a suitable replacement for the Bournemouth target.
The Premier League leaders were offered £10m for their back-up by Eddie Howe’s side last week – a decent sum to open the negotiations – but rejected the bid.
With a follow-up offer expected from the Cherries, Antonio Conte has admitted there is a good chance the former Stoke star could be moved on before February.
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The issue of reserve goalkeeper appears a minor one with the title race in full swing and Diego Costa’s muddied future still to be cleared up.
But if Begovic was to be shipped out in the coming week and Courtois was hit with an injury or suspension, then the Blues would be in trouble.
A Premier League 2 game with the under-23s is the closest 34-year-old Eduardo has got to a game.
The summer signing has been on the bench in the FA and League Cup but never played a competitive second for Conte.
And Jamal Blackman is the club’s 23-year-old stopper who has just had his six-month loan at Wycombe extended until the end of the season, proving their predicament.
The problem for Chelsea is finding a trust-worthy goalkeeper in the tricky January window who is good enough to replace Courtois but willing to sit quietly behind him on the bench.