Chelsea are planning to sign both centre back Marc Guehi and goalkeeper Mike Maignan on free transfers in 2026 according to reports.
The Blues had a busy summer in which they made seven first team signings, with five of those attackers as the frontline underwent a major revamp.
Jorrel Hato was the only defensive addition, whilst Dario Essugo arrived to provide cover in midfield for Moises Caicedo.
Chelsea planning to sign Guehi and Maignan on free transfers
Whilst the transfer window on the whole was good, it could have been better, and fans would liked to have seen a new goalkeeper and ideally another centre back.
Chelsea were rocked by the news Levi Colwill could miss the majority of the season with an ACL injury, but despite Maresca making it clear he wanted another centre back one didn’t arrive.
The Blues were linked with Marc Guehi, but an offer never went in, and the England international saw a deadline day move to Liverpool collapse.
Chelsea also passed up on the opportunity to sign Maignan as they weren’t prepared to meet AC Milan’s asking price.
However, TBR Football have reported Chelsea are planning to sign both Maignan and Guehi on free transfers in 2026.
The report adds Maignan remains a target despite not signing the France international in the summer, whilst Chelsea are well aware of Guehi and his qualities.
Could goalkeeper and centre back be a problem for Chelsea?
Not signing a top class goalkeeper could prove costly for the Blues, despite Robert Sanchez having a solid start to the season.
The Spaniard has made a number of costly errors during his time at Stamford Bridge, and there’s not enough evidence yet to suggest he’s eliminated that from his game.
Chelsea also look light at centre back with Colwill’s injury, and the build-up play is suffering as a result, with Tosin not able to perform that role well enough.
The Blues need to get Wesley Fofana back to full fitness as quickly as possible because he will make a big difference in the heart of the defence.
Adding these players would go a long way toward adding stability and quality in the center of defense. However, it’s more than a little unclear to me how we expect to beat Liverpool for Guehi’s signature (since it’s reported that they definitely plan to return for him). Unless we can show we are bona fide title contenders then Guehi would almost certainly choose to go where he thinks he can win the most trophies—i.e., Liverpool at this point in time.