Asmir Begovic

[Milan 17,835]

Blues join Begovic race

skysports.com

Sky Sports News understands that Chelsea have joined the hunt for Portsmouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

The Bosnia international is a man in demand with Premier League rivals Stoke City keen to sign the 22-year-old before the transfer window closes.The Potters' recent £3million offer for the talented shot-stopper has been rejected, despite Pompey's need to raise funds.

The news of Chelsea's interest comes as a surprise after manager Carlo Ancelotti ruled out bringing in any fresh faces during the transfer window.

However, Sky Sports News understands the Stamford Bridge outfit have held talks over Begovic, although it remains to be seen if a late deal can be struck.

[Blueboy 14]

Well, not sure if we should get him if Stoke's chasing him

[Kostas 1,468]

Chelsea target Asmir Begovic as back-up to injured Petr Cech

Chelsea have expressed an interest in the Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic as the manager, Carlo Ancelotti, considers his options behind his injured No1 Petr Cech.

Henrique Hilário is Ancelotti's current first-choice back-up ahead of Ross Turnbull and the Portuguese was given the starting nod at Wembley in the Community Shield against Manchester United.

However, both goalkeepers have made errors during the pre-season and have looked shaky at times, forcing Ancelotti to consider whether a new signing might offer more stability.

Begovic, 23, has the added advantage of qualifying as a home-grown player because, despite his Bosnian nationality, he moved to Portsmouth on a youth contract in 2003. That means that although he had loans spells at Macclesfield Town, Bournemouth and Yeovil Town before he turned 21, he has spent the required three years before that birthday training at the academies of English clubs.

Chelsea have only five home-grown players at present – John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Michael Mancienne and Turnbull – meaning that, with the Premier League's new regulations stipulating that clubs must name eight such players in a senior squad of no more than 25, Ancelotti stands to play the first half of the season with only 22 senior players.

With Ramires, Benfica's Brazil midfielder, set to move to Stamford Bridge to replace Deco, who has signed for Fluminense, Ancelotti has his full compliment of 17 senior overseas players.

Were he to sign Begovic, he would have the option to loan out Hilário to free up a space for another overseas signing. Chelsea have been linked with a move for the Benfica defender David Luiz.

Cech tore a calf muscle last month and he was ruled out of the pre-season friendlies against Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg. His total pre-season playing minutes amount to 30 in the opening fixture against Crystal Palace. Ancelotti says that Cech will be fit to face West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League opener at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Begovic cost £3.25m when he moved from Portsmouth to Stoke in last winter's transfer window, a reflection of his ability and potential, but he was unable to dislodge Thomas Sorensen as the manager Tony Pulis's first choice. He made four appearances at the end of the season, after Sorensen injured his shoulder against Chelsea.

[...]

Source:Guardian

He's huge,strong,can kick the ball,qualifies as homegrown and can't be possibly worse than what we have now.Yes please.

[We Hate Scouse 10,261]

Can't break into the first team at Stoke. Definitely not good enough to be a back up keeper at Chelsea. We can do much, much better!

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Didn't we show a bit of interest in him in January?

[ZanSnake 1,211]

I don't see any problem, that is if we get rid of Hilario. But then again with Delac coming in (whenever he is as it seems no-one knows when!), do we need the extra number passed this peroid of time.

[Kostas 1,468]

Didn't we show a bit of interest in him in January?

Check the first post

I don't see any problem, that is if we get rid of Hilario. But then again with Delac coming in (whenever he is as it seems no-one knows when!), do we need the extra number passed this peroid of time.

Hilario's contract expires next year and that's when Delac is returning from his loan.We might need a decent No. 2 this season.

[ZanSnake 1,211]

Check the first post

Hilario's contract expires next year and that's when Delac is returning from his loan.We might need a decent No. 2 this season.

According to Wikioedia he has already joined us, actually said we had him when the window opened!

Why not just use him for a couple of games?

[We Hate Scouse 10,261]

I'm pretty sure Delac is arriving in January!

[Kostas 1,468]

I messed up our loanees,Kalas is the one loaned for the season and Delac according to most sources will join us in January,although some older sources claim that he'll join us in June 2011.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Brilliant goalkeeper in my opinion. Okay, he conceded five against us in April but remember the game against Portsmouth we won 2-1 thanks to a Frank penalty? Begovic was in goal and made a string of brilliant saves.

He's tall, athletic and a great shot-stopper. He's only 23 and counts as homegrown as he was on Portsmouth's books since 2005.

[caesarblues 51]

1.43 was briliant saved

[Milan 17,835]

I say yes to this transfer. Okay, he is not Stoke no.1 but there is Sorensen who is a fantastic gk.

[Madmax 9,219]

Better than Hilario, tell you that.

[chrismada9 1,948]

I don't know about this one! I feel he's on the same wavelength as Ross Turnbull. Everyone thought he was a decent keeper for Middlesbrough, but when he joined us he just wasn't good enough.

I agree with WHS, we can do a whole lot better!!

[ZanSnake 1,211]

He has PL experience, is young only 23 and is a homegrown player. Hilario is most likely to be retiring at the end of the season, or so we hope, and that leaves it to Turnbull who i think shouldn't even be here anymore. Begovic seems like a good signing imo, and there isn't nothing wrong with having him here and we could make him into a household name.

[5354 204]

I think he can do better to challenge Cech imo.

Maybe we can do some swop deal by exchainging either Hilario or Turnbull for Begovic.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

He has PL experience, is young only 23 and is a homegrown player. Hilario is most likely to be retiring at the end of the season, or so we hope, and that leaves it to Turnbull who i think shouldn't even be here anymore. Begovic seems like a good signing imo, and there isn't nothing wrong with having him here and we could make him into a household name.

He won't count as our homegrown player if we sign him.