Former Chelsea star John Mikel Obi has issued a stern warning to the club’s manager, Enzo Maresca, as the Blues prepare for the upcoming 2025/26 football season.
The ex-Nigerian international insists that Chelsea must act fast to resolve their goalkeeping woes — or risk another trophyless campaign.
Despite Chelsea’s aggressive summer transfer window, in which they spent over £200 million on seven new signings including Brighton forward Joao Pedro, Mikel believes one glaring weakness could undo the team’s progress: the goalkeeper position.
Chelsea’s current No. 1, Robert Sanchez, has faced intense scrutiny since joining from Brighton, particularly for his inconsistency and error-prone displays.
He led the Premier League last season with five errors directly resulting in goals — a stat that has not gone unnoticed.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Mikel did not mince words:
“A lot of Chelsea fans can agree that we need another top goalkeeper because Sanchez is not doing it. The goalkeeper situation needs to be sorted out,” he said.
“We can’t go into the new season with Sanchez, I’m sorry. I’m sure that 99 per cent of the Chelsea fans will agree with me that Sanchez is not the goalkeeper who will win us trophies.”
Chelsea were previously linked with AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, but the move failed to materialize. With no replacement in sight, Sanchez remains first choice, raising concerns among fans and club legends alike.
As Chelsea gear up to face Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday, all eyes will be on Maresca’s men and particularly the performance of Sanchez.