Chelsea Transfer News: Asmir Begovic Terms Agreed, John Obi Mikel Rumours

Chelsea have reportedly agreed personal terms with Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, with Jose Mourinho on the hunt for a replacement for Petr Cech.

That’s according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, who claims that the Blues will beat Roma in the race to sign the player and have already struck up a four-year agreement.

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It’s noted in the aforementioned piece that no fee has been agreed, but according to the Sun the Blues have bid £6 million for the Bosnia and Herzegovina international and expect to finalise a transfer by the end of the week. Sami Mokbel of the MailOnline also claims negotiations have begun, but the Potters are likely to hold out for £10 million.

Begovic has forged a reputation as one of the Premier League’s finest goalkeepers during his time at the Britannia Stadium; it’s for that reason sports journalist Tariq Panja thinks it is a peculiar move:

It’s a view shared by former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp, who claimed that Begovic shouldn’t join Chelsea, insisting the 28-year-old is good enough to play for the top sides in the country, per Tom Dutton of the London Evening Standard:

"

I cannot see Asmir Begovic going to Chelsea. He’s too good a keeper to be a number two and if he goes to Stamford Bridge then he’ll only be Thibaut Courtois’ replacement.

He’s a great pro and definitely a top six team keeper and if, as looks likely, De Gea goes to Real Madrid then I think Manchester United should look at him, he’s that good.

"

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Indeed, as talented as the Bosnia international is, it’s tough to see how he would potentially oust the immaculate Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge. But with just one year left on his contract with the Potters, it looks as though the Blues are going to lure him to the club for what would be a cut-price figure.

As we can see here courtesy of WhoScored.com, Chelsea will be getting a tremendous shot-stopper:

It’s a tough one to evaluate overall. Either Begovic has lofty ambitions, believing he has the talent to dislodge Courtois from his position of privilege, or is happy to sit on the bench and pick up medals for a top-quality side.

Either way, from Chelsea’s perspective, if they can get this deal done for a figure between their initial offer and Stoke’s asking price, it’d be yet another shrewd piece of business in the transfer market from Mourinho.

Inter Want John Obi Mikel

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Serie A giants Internazionale are reportedly interested in signing Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, should a deal for Galatasaray’s Felipe Melo fall through.

That’s according to Simon Jones of the MailOnline, who wrote that while Mourinho is keen on keeping hold of the Nigerian, Mikel will not be content with another season on the fringes of the Chelsea team. As noted by WhoScored.com, the 28-year-old only made six Premier League starts for the Blues last season.

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Mourinho’s desire to keep hold of the player is understandable, though. As we can see here courtesy of Squawka Football, when Mikel is in the XI, he adds a pragmatic edge to the Blues midfield:

But from the player’s perspective, is being the Blues' safety option really enough to sate his ambitions? After all, while he is much maligned in some quarters, Mikel is a proficient midfield man possessing sharp defensive instincts and for a team like Inter, he would have a major impact.

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As noted here by Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe, there are some young midfielders in the Chelsea academy that’ll be vying for a spot in the team next season, too, further reducing Mikel's chances of minutes:

Mikel has been at Chelsea for nine years now and while he’s sampled various successes with the team, he’s never quite been able to nail down a regular first-team spot. As he approaches the peak years of his career, the time is right for the Blues to allow the midfielder, who has been a diligent servant to the club, to set off in search of a new challenge.