Schwarzer backs Mendy to displace Kepa as Chelsea No 1

Mark Schwarzer expects to see Kepa Arrizabalaga lose his No.1 spot at Chelsea should Edouard Mendy indeed arrive in the transfer window.

Kepa has fallen below expectations ever since becoming the world’s most expensive goalkeeper in 2018 when Chelsea forked out a whopping €80m to sign him from Athletic Bilbao.

Errors and struggles for consistency have haunted the Spaniard, who kept just eight clean sheets and conceded 47 goals in last season’s Premier League. Therefore, Frank Lampard dropped him for the club’s final games of the campaign.

It’s been widely expected that Chelsea would sign a new goalkeeper as part of their summer overhaul. And it seems they’ve finally bagged one in Mendy, with reports claiming a deal is near completion for the Rennes shot-stopper.

Should this be correct, Schwarzer reckons the 28-year-old will soon displace Kepa as Lampard’s first-choice keeper.

“It’s obvious that there are questions marks over Kepa, I think his save ratio last season was the worst in the Premier League,” the former Blues keeper told Goal.

“He clearly hasn’t had a good time there. I think it hasn’t been entirely his own doing – defensively Chelsea haven’t been at their best.

“I think the step up to Chelsea has been astronomical and add the fact that they’ve paid a world record fee for him, it’s been really tough. I just don’t feel he’s progressed as far as they hoped he had hence why they believe they need to bring in another keeper to really push him.

“I’d be surprised if they brought in Mendy and didn’t wait too long before putting him in as number one. It could be very damaging [to Kepa] and he may feel he has little chance to retain it.”

Mendy will become Chelsea’s seventh new signing of the summer transfer window should he complete a move to west London.

Although the Frenchman won’t feature for tonight’s Premier League opener against Brighton, meaning it’s between Kepa and Willy Caballero for the starting spot.