Chelsea eye elite goalkeeper after Sanchez red card

Chelsea face mounting pressure to replace goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after his early dismissal contributed to a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United last weekend, prompting the club to step up recruitment of an elite shotstopper while Sanchez prepares to be available for Saturday’s Premier League meeting with his former club Brighton. Sanchez was shown a straight red card five minutes into the Old Trafford game for hauling down Bryan Mbeumo, forcing a tactical reshuffle that ultimately left Chelsea chasing the contest, according to match reports.

The setback has intensified scrutiny of Sanchez’s consistency since his move from Brighton, with head coach Enzo Maresca publicly critical of the tackle and reportedly saying the keeper is far from where he wants him to be. Former chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Chelsea have already tasked scouts with identifying replacements and are prioritizing the goalkeeper position if they are to compete for major trophies. Brown said the club is likely to step up efforts either in the January window or at the end of the season.

One leading name linked to Chelsea is AC Milan captain Mike Maignan. Reports have suggested Maignan was a...