Petr Cech has given glowing praise over one of Chelsea's main transfer targets for 2023. The former Blues keeper left a key directorial role earlier this year after being allowed to leave by Todd Boehly and the new owners over the summer.
The Czech Republic shot-stopper was appointed as technical and performance advisor in 2019 and moved upwards within the club to have an important day-to-day role alongside previous director Marina Granovskaia. Both were let go earlier this year in a host of changes to the internal model at Stamford Bridge.
Boehly has since made key appointments in this area to replace Cech, Bruce Buck and Granovskaia, bringing in Laurence Stewart, Paul Winstanley and Joe Shields to a new-look recruitment department, with Christopher Vivell expected to join as well.
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Despite Cech's vague role at Chelsea, he still played a major role in some of their biggest transfers in the last three years, and was instrumental in securing one of the big success stories across that time.
Like the rest of the world he has had his eyes on Qatar for the World Cup, and one of those that has caught his eye is also a Chelsea transfer target. Speaking on David Seaman's, Seaman Says podcast, the 40-year-old said, “I have enjoyed watching Jordan Pickford so far in the tournament, because he came under criticism and obviously here was a big debate about who should start for England in the tournament.
“Him having the experience of the World Cup and where he played really well. At the Euros he was brilliant. I think it was the right call to support and start him because in my opinion he hasn’t done anything wrong in those three tournaments.”
Pickford is preparing to face France in the quarter-finals on Saturday night and has kept three clean sheets in a row. Although the Everton stopper has largely remained untested so far he did make a crucial save to keep Senegal at bay in the last-16 with the score at 0-0.
The 28-year-old has appeared on Chelsea's shortlist for goalkeeping targets after Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to convince Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter since the summer. Mendy was picked out by Cech in 2020 as a replacement for Kepa, and the Chelsea legend took an active role in the negotiations to secure the Senegalese star.
He is currently in his worst run in a blue shirt though and Kepa has been favoured by Potter in the short-term. Pickford is reportedly available for £30m due to his contract being up in 2024. Manchester United are also known admirers of Pickford and could give Chelsea a run for their money in the market.
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