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Stoke City have knocked back Chelsea’s initial bid for their goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. Jose Mourinho’s side offered £6 million for the services of the Bosnian international, who is seen as an ideal backup to Belgian Thibaut Courtois after Arsenal signed veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech in a £11-million deal.
ESPN sources have said, the Potters are believed to be holding out for a bid in the region of £10 million for their shot-stopper, who has just one year left in his deal. A number of clubs have been monitoring his situation as Stoke City haven’t offered him a contract extension yet.
Chelsea are expected to come back with an improved offer for the 28-year-old, who were also rumored to be targeting QPR’s Robert Green, but have now focused their attention on signing Begovic.
The only stumbling block for Begovic will be that he won’t get enough playing time under Mourinho, after Courtois established himself as one of the best young keepers in the world, even managing to displace Chelsea legend Petr Cech from the first-team picture for the first time in his Chelsea career.
However, the prospect of playing in the Champions League apart from competing for titles on all fronts might lure Begovic to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea were also credited with an interest in signing Begovic back in 2010 but saw their £4.5 million bid being rejected by Stoke City.
The 6’6” goalkeeper signed a youth contract with Portsmouth in the summer of 2003 but appeared only 17 times for the club as he was loaned out to various clubs during his five-year association with the Pompey. In the summer of 2010, Stoke City signed him for a fee of £3.25 million signing a four-and-a-half-year contract and has since gone on to build a reputation as one of the best goalkeepers in England.
Meanwhile, Petr Cech has thanked Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in an open letter to the club for letting him leave for Arsenal, but added that it was a tough decision to leave the Blues after spending 11 trophy-laden years with the club.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has welcomed the news of the three-time Premier League Golden Glove winner and was quoted as saying on Arsenal’s official website: “Petr Cech is a player that I have admired for a long time and I am very pleased that he has decided to join us.
"He has proven over many seasons that he is one of the outstanding keepers in the world and he will add great strength to our squad.”
