Reports have emerged today that French Ligue 1 club AS Monaco are preparing a big-money swoop for Chelsea’s stalwart goalkeeper Petr Cech.
The Czech international has served ten years as Chelsea’s main man, having played 326 games for the Blues since his debut in 2004 and proving instrumental to the side’s trophy-winning era over the last decade.
With Chelsea, the 32-year-old won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, the Europa League and the Champions League.
Cech’s future at Stamford Bridge is up-in-the-air owing to the highly anticipated return of on-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois from his three-year loan period in Europe.
Courtois, who is Belgian, is ten years the Cech’s junior and having just won the La Liga title with his loan side, Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, the youngster is hot property. With a current market value of around £22M he is regarded as one of the best stoppers in the world.
Chelsea first team coach Mourinho is odds-on to instate the 22-year-old as his first choice keeper next season and if this is the case, the Czech-man will likely not be satisfied to settle for second.
Cech’s agent Viktor Kolar has reportedly been in discussions already with Monaco, and with the French glamour club said to have switched their attentions away from previous flavour-of-the-month – Barcelona stopper Victor Valdes – they are looking to be first in the queue to strike a deal for the Blues man should Chelsea opt to cash in.