'Top goalkeeper' - Mikel insists Chelsea should have signed Donnarumma before Guardiola swooped

Retired Nigeria international John Obi Mikel has criticised Chelsea's transfer strategy, insisting the world champions should have acted decisively to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma before Pep Guardiola and Manchester City swooped for the Italian goalkeeper.

On the final day of the summer transfer window, Manchester City completed a deal for former Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper Donnarumma, signing him on a five-year deal.

Donnarumma recently scooped the 2025 Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best goalkeeper over the last 12 months, and has posted two clean sheets in his first three appearances as a Manchester City player.

Mikel argued that Chelsea's failure to recruit a top goalkeeper could prove costly in their pursuit of the Premier League title this season.

"I have said it so many times. We should have in the transfer window brought in a top goalkeeper," Mikel said on The Obi One Podcast.

"We have seen what Donnarumma is doing now at Manchester City, he was the goalkeeper that was out there.

"I know there has been a lot of talk about the wage structure, but you can find a way around that.

"He's a top goalkeeper, 26 years of age, you could have found a way around that he fits into the wage structure.

"It's going to be incredibly hard for us to win the Premier League with the goalkeeper that we have right now."

Chelsea were active in the market for a new goalkeeper during the summer but saw a proposed deal for AC Milan's Mike Maignan collapse.

Reports suggest the London club may try again next summer when the Frenchman becomes a free agent.

Mikel highlighted how Guardiola had shown ruthlessness in reshaping his City squad to secure Donnarumma, replacing Ederson despite the Brazilian's years of success.

"Every top club has got a goalkeeper, Pep Guardiola notified that. Ederson, absolutely fantastic for City, but wasn't the same Ederson he used to be. He needed to get rid of him, and he did that," Mikel continued.

"Guardiola has to think about the success of the club, the success of the team, how to get back to winning ways, and he made a change — a change that Ederson and some of the players won't like.

"He's got Donnarumma, and we can see now, he dominates the area and makes saves, he's huge. A top goalkeeper wins you the league."

Spain goalkeeper Robert Sanchez came under scrutiny in his last outing for Chelsea after being sent off just five minutes into a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: mancity.com

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