Bournemouth’s hopes of securing the Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic this month will hinge on the Premier League leaders finding a suitable replacement who is willing to act as back-up to Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge.
Begovic, an £8m signing from Stoke City in the summer of 2015, has seen his opportunities limited to three EFL Cup ties and an FA Cup third-round game this season with Courtois having excelled in the Premier League. Chelsea had still felt compelled to reject an opening offer worth £10m from Bournemouth last week but Antonio Conte and the club’s hierarchy are sympathetic to the Bosnian’s desire to feature more regularly, with the manager suggesting on Friday that Begovic may be allowed to leave this month.
Yet parting with a respected and committed No2 would necessitate Chelsea securing a replacement who will accept life behind Courtois in the pecking order, with the Portuguese Eduardo Carvalho, signed from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer, very much considered a third choice.
There is interest in the Milan goalkeeper Diego López, who was considered over the summer when suitors first emerged for Begovic. Yet the former Real Madrid player’s situation is complicated as he is on a season-long loan at Espanyol and is featuring regularly in La Liga. Whether the 35-year-old would be willing to give up regular football, or if the terms of his loan would even countenance a termination of his agreement with Milan, remains to be seen.
The Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul, who has yet to play a competitive game while on a season-long loan at Ajax, may be considered as an alternative boasting Premier League experience, with the club understood to be drawing up a list of possible replacements. But, should no other candidates be identified, Begovic would have to put his move on hold until the summer when his future can be properly addressed. As it stands, the 29-year-old is expected to start Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Brentford at Stamford Bridge.
Conte is anxious to find the right solution for Begovic’s predicament and said on Friday: “First of all I want to say that Asmir is an important player for me, on and off the pitch. A really important player. He knows this. Yes, there is this offer and we are evaluating this offer. But it’s important to find the right solution for Asmir, for the club, for me, because I repeat he’s a really important player for me on and off the pitch. It’s important to find the right solution before he goes away.
“Eduardo, for sure, is a great buy for us. He arrived as third-choice goalkeeper this season. The positions are very clear in my mind, and in the team. I’m very happy for him because Eduardo is working very well and helping me, helping Thibaut and Asmir a lot, and with [the goalkeeping coach Gianluca] Spinelli in his work. I’m very pleased with his commitment and he’s a very good goalkeeper who is doing well.”