Chelsea and Manchester United have both offered AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan an €8m a year (£132,000 a week) contract, according to journalist Alessandro Carra.
The France international is weighing up whether to leave San Siro this summer. He was expecting to receive a new lucrative deal from the Rossoneri as a reward for his excellent form but the departure of director Paolo Maldini means that may no longer happen, and Carra even claims that the Serie A club may now consider selling the player for as much as €80m (£69m) to €100m (£86m) in order to fund other transfer business:
“Chelsea and Manchester United are looking for a goalkeeper and have offered the player €8m a year… Maignan does not want to stay in a nebulous Milan and Milan’s idea would be to finance the entire market with the sale of Maignan… if an offer between €80m and €100m were to arrive.”
Reports in the Italian media earlier this week had suggested that Chelsea were prepared to offer around €60m (£51.7m) for Maignan but Carra’s suggestion that they could want €20m to €40m more than that may put off the Blues from pursuing him.
The 27-year-old is a very talented keeper, but there are a number of cheaper options available on the transfer market.
In addition to Maignan, the club have been linked with Brentford’s David Raya. Although the Bees have been demanding £40m for the Spaniard, his agent has already spoken out to ask for his asking price to be lowered as he only has a year left on his contract.
Inter Milan’s Andre Onana is also another viable option, with talks expected to take place with the Nerazzurri about a number of transfers after the Champions League final. Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili and Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel have been mentioned as additional targets.