{"id":2796,"date":"2026-03-08T10:08:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T10:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2796"},"modified":"2026-03-08T10:08:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T10:08:24","slug":"chelsea-told-to-sign-18m-former-liverpool-star-after-gary-neville-warning-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2796","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea told to sign \u00a318m former Liverpool star after Gary Neville warning | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Chelsea\t<\/div>
Big-spending Chelsea still have some glaring weaknesses (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Glen Johnson has revealed his preferred Chelsea transfer target after Gary Neville urged the Blues to sign a \u2018top-class\u2019 goalkeeper.<\/p>\n

Speaking after Chelsea\u2019s disappointing defeat to London rivals Arsenal at the start of the month, Neville insisted the west Londoners were still short in three key areas of the pitch.<\/p>\n

\u2018I flip between thinking\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0miles away and thinking if they can get a goalkeeper, an experienced centre-back and an experienced centre-forward they could be in business,\u2019 Neville said of Chelsea.<\/p>\n

\u2018They\u00a0have to\u00a0keep players fit but they need a top-class goalkeeper, a top-class centre-back with experience\u00a0and a top-class centre forward to\u00a0accompany\u00a0Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, not to replace them.\u2019<\/p>\n

Turning his attentions to Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, Manchester United legend Neville added: \u2018I\u2019m\u00a0going to talk about the goalkeeper as well because he invites problems, every time I watch him my heart\u00a0is in my mouth.<\/p>\n

\u2018He flaps at the Arsenal goal so for me Chelsea are three players short, they need players in those positions. I\u2019ve\u00a0got many thoughts about\u00a0Chelsea\u00a0and I still\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0quite work them out.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sanchez has been Chelsea\u2019s No. 1 over the past two seasons but has never fully convinced, making a number of high-profile mistakes.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liam Rosenior, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in January following Enzo Maresca\u2019s departure, decided to drop Sanchez for Wednesday\u2019s 4-1 win over Aston Villa, with Filip Jorgensen coming into the side.<\/p>\n

Explaining his decision after the crucial victory over Chelsea\u2019s top-four rivals, Rosenior said: \u2018Rob [Sanchez] is an outstanding goalkeeper.<\/p>\n

\u2018I just saw Filip [Jorgensen] in training and sometimes as a manager you have to go with your gut.<\/p>\n

\u2018Filip gave us something different and they will both be fighting it out for the rest of the season.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Tottenham\t<\/div>
Manchester United legend Gary Neville (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether Jorgensen remains Chelsea\u2019s first-choice goalkeeper for the rest of the season remains to be seen, with Sanchez coming back into the side for Saturday\u2019s FA Cup win over Wrexham.<\/p>\n

Ex-Chelsea defender Johnson insists Sanchez is not a \u2018must-replace\u2019 player but has named two goalkeepers he could replace the Spaniard.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s very hard because form can change so quickly,\u2019 Johnson, who won the Premier League and League Cup at Stamford Bridge, told BoyleSports.<\/p>\n

\u2018There have been times where Robert Sanchez has saved Chelsea in games and made incredible saves, but he does have that mistake in him.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Hull\t<\/div>
Liam Rosenior took over at Chelsea in January (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018As we know, if the keeper makes a mistake, it usually, nine times out of ten, results in a goal. So it can be literally game-changing.<\/p>\n

\u2018But I don\u2019t think he\u2019s been bad enough to say, \u201cRight, you have to replace him.\u201d Because when he\u2019s in form, I think he\u2019s been fantastic.<\/p>\n

\u2018He just needs to bounce back now and regain his confidence. Then I think he\u2019s absolutely fine. He\u2019s not bad enough to think he\u2019s a must-replace player.\u2019<\/p>\n

Turning his attentions to possible targets for Chelsea, Johnson revealed his admiration for Caoimhin\u00a0Kelleher and James Trafford.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Bournemouth\t<\/div>
Brentford star and ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Kelleher has enjoyed a promising first season for high-flying Brentford since his \u00a318m move from Liverpool last summer.<\/p>\n

Kelleher spent six years at Anfield and impressed when called upon but was always behind superstar shot-stopper Alisson in the pecking order.<\/p>\n

Trafford, meanwhile, is already being linked with a move away from Manchester City less than 12 months on from his \u00a331m switch from Burnley.<\/p>\n

The England U21 star was expected to be Pep Guardiola\u2019s No. 1 this season but Man City then signed Gianluigi\u00a0Donnarumma, one of the best goalkeepers in the world.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"FBL-ENG-FACUP-MAN\t<\/div>
James Trafford is being linked with a move away from Man City (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Caoimhin\u00a0Kelleher\u00a0would definitely be the less risky option right now,\u2019 Johnson added.<\/p>\n

\u2018And again, that\u2019s not to say who\u2019s going to be the better player in two or three years, but\u00a0Kelleher, anytime he was called upon for Liverpool, was fantastic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s now still doing another good job at Brentford. So if I had to pick a target now for Chelsea, it\u2019d definitely be him.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s done it with Liverpool, a big club in big games and big tournaments. So I\u2019d say that\u2019s the safest option.<\/p>\n

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\u2018James\u00a0Trafford\u00a0to Chelsea? It worked with Cole Palmer, didn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

\u2018Even that one at the time was a surprise to me, because I\u2019ve never really seen him play before, to be honest. And the same with the goalkeeper, I\u2019ve not seen him play.<\/p>\n

\u2018But in terms of could it come off? Absolutely it can. It\u2019d be unlikely, I guess, because it\u2019s a big role to be the number one goalkeeper at Chelsea.<\/p>\n

\u2018You normally need a lot of experience, and you can only get experience by gaining experience, obviously. So it could be risky.<\/p>\n

\u2018Even if he was to sign and do a couple of years behind a number one and learn the club and learn everything that way, then of course in three years time or something, then he could easily be the main man.\u2019<\/p>\n

Chelsea overcame a scare to beat Championship side Wrexham on Saturday and move into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.<\/p>\n

Rosenior\u2019s side will discover their last-eight opponents on Monday night and will be keen to avoid Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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