Why Chelsea signing Martin Dubravka would be a good move
According to Chronicle Live, former English footballer Garth Crooks has urged Chelsea to sign Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka in the summer.
The report also suggests that the Blues boss Frank Lampard is not convinced by Kepa Arrizabalaga. He also dropped the Spaniard for Willy Caballero during their game against Leicester City. And therefore, Crooks has urged Lampard to not look beyond the Slovakian.
Dubravka, 31, who came through the youth ranks of MSK Zilina in his hometown, moved to Newcastle United from Sparta Praha in 2018, initially on loan. Since then, he has played regularly for the Magpies.
He has been in fine form this season, which was particularly evident in the game against Norwich City last weekend. He displayed one of the best performances that night and helped the Toon secure a draw. And the report claims that he has made a huge impact at the club and is considered as Newcastle’s best goalkeeper after Shay Given.
The Slovakian was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus last summer and is now being offered as a solution to Chelsea’s issues, as per the report.
Meanwhile, the Blues have struggled in the goalkeeping department with Kepa and Caballero putting up lacklustre displays. Though they are 4th in the league standings, they have conceded 34 goals so far.
Chelsea do not have a third-choice keeper and with both players underperforming, they must address the situation at once. And to that end, Dubravka would be the perfect solution.
The 31-year-old has been in fine form over the last two seasons and has helped Newcastle return to the top half of the table in this campaign. He was in exceptional form against the Canaries, stopping all of their shots and even did well against Finnish striker Teemu Pukki.
Dubravka has made 103 saves in the league this season, more than any other goalkeeper, and has 7 clean sheets to his name. Kepa has made just 41 saves, accounting to 1.71 saves per game, which is a lot less than the Slovakian’s 4.12 per game. [Premier League]
Read more
- Why Chelsea should go for Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure in the summer
- Why Chelsea must hold on to Willian amidst Barcelona interest
- Why Chelsea should avoid a move for Allan Arigoni
The Slovakian has enjoyed 74.10% save success rate whereas his counterpart at Chelsea has just recorded a 56.16% success rate in the league [Premier League].
Verdict
Dubravka’s numbers are proof that he would be an upgrade on Kepa. Therefore, Lampard must consider Crooks’ suggestion and do everything possible to lure the Slovakian to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
