Chelsea reignite interest in 30-year-old Serie A GK after Roma slam the door shut on Mile Svilar approach

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Chelsea reignite interest in 30-year-old Serie A GK after Roma slam the door shut on Mile Svilar approach

Originally posted on A Stamford Bridge Too Far
By Chynelle Dirksz | Last updated Jun 3, 2026 8:52 PM ET

Chelsea might undergo a major squad overhaul under new manager Xabi Alonso.

Chelsea are back in for Mike Maignan. Incoming manager Xabi Alonso, who begins work at Stamford Bridge on July 1 on a four-year contract, has made it clear that a top-class goalkeeper is among his first priorities this summer. This is according to Claudio Raimondi on SportMediaSet. Neither their regular Robert Sanchez nor Mike Penders convinces him as a long-term solution, and the club have already moved in the transfer market to address it. The search has now led them back to a goalkeeper they tried and failed to sign before.

The opening move was an ambitious bid for Mile Svilar. Chelsea submitted an offer of €50 million to Roma, hoping to lure the Belgian out of the Italian capital. Roma did not take long to respond: not for sale. The Giallorossi have no intention of moving on from their first-choice goalkeeper, and the door was closed almost as quickly as Chelsea knocked on it. With that avenue firmly shut, attention has swung back to the AC Milan goalkeeper.

Chelsea actually tried to sign Maignan last summer, right before the Club World Cup. The 30-year-old Frenchman was genuinely open to making the move to London at the time, but talks broke down because Chelsea refused to meet Milan’s asking price. Milan’s response was to take him entirely off the market. He then signed a contract extension in late January that runs until 2030. But the situation has shifted considerably. According to Claudio Raimondi on SportMediaset, Maignan wants clarity on the club’s direction before committing his peak years to the project, and that clarity is not coming any time soon.

Cardinale’s Revolution Leaves Maignan With Questions Milan Cannot Yet Answer

AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale completely overhauled the club’s structure following a damaging defeat to Cagliari ten days ago. The club currently have no sporting director and no head coach, sitting in institutional limbo at one of European football’s biggest clubs. Maignan is keeping a close eye on how quickly those positions are filled. If the uncertainty drags on, the Chelsea offer starts to look considerably more attractive.

Raimondi reports that the goalkeeper expects answers from management very quickly about who will be leading the project next season. Chelsea will be watching and waiting. Alonso needs a goalkeeper who commands his penalty area and plays out from the back with authority. Maignan is everything that profile demands, and landing him would send a statement that this Chelsea rebuild means business.

This article first appeared on A Stamford Bridge Too Far and was syndicated with permission.

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