Chelsea have reportedly launched a second bid worth £4m for Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon as they continue to search for a replacement for Asmir Begovic.
As noted by Sky Sports, the Bosnian international is set for a switch to Bournemouth, but Chelsea will not give his exit the green light until they have acquired a suitable replacement.
It appears as though Gordon is Antonio Conte’s preferred target, although Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has insisted that he wants his experienced shot-stopper to sign a new contract and remain with the Scottish giants until 2021.
According to the report, Chelsea are considering three goalkeepers, with Diego Lopez and Fernando Muslera of Espanyol and Galatasaray respectively also on their radar.
Should Gordon opt to extend his stay with Celtic, then Chelsea will be forced to consider those options, but they will await an answer on their improved bid first before taking further action.
As for Begovic, he has played second-fiddle to Thibaut Courtois since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Stoke City in 2015, and has made just five appearances so far this season.
Given that he’s a quality goalkeeper, it’s no surprise that the 29-year-old would now be keen to play regularly, and so he’ll be hoping that Chelsea can figure out a deal for a replacement with time running out ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
However, in the event that they aren’t able to reach an agreement with Celtic or for another target in time, then Begovic will likely remain until the end of the season when the situation will have to be revisited.