Chelsea 'unlikely to swoop for Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale in January'

The Blues underwent a significant rejig of their goalkeeping department over the summer, as Edouard Mendy left for Al-Ahli while Kepa Arrizabalaga joined Real Madrid on loan.

Robert Sanchez arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion to become Chelsea's new number one, but the Spaniard sustained a moderate knee injury during the Blues' 2-0 loss to Everton two weekends ago.

Mauricio Pochettino is now expected to make do without his first-choice stopper for a number of weeks, leaving Djordje Petrovic - another summer arrival - to guard the posts for the time being.

After replacing Sanchez in the dying embers of the clash at Goodison Park, Petrovic kept a clean sheet on his full Premier League debut against Sheffield United at the weekend, where Marcus Bettinelli and Lucas Bergstrom were both named on the bench.

Chelsea also have American youngster Gabriel Slonina plying his trade on loan at Eupen, but Sanchez's layoff has led to rumours that the Blues could target a new goalkeeper midway through the season.

A move for unsettled Arsenal number two Ramsdale has been mooted, but according to the Evening Standard, the Blues are not expected to make a move for the England international when the window reopens.

Despite keeping the second-most clean sheets in the 2022-23 Premier League season as Arsenal finished second in the table, Ramsdale has been brutally axed from the first XI by Mikel Arteta, who has made Brentford loanee David Raya his new number one.

Since the first international break of the season, Ramsdale has only made one appearance in the Premier League, stepping in for Raya when he was unable to face parent club Brentford on November 25.

The 25-year-old kept a clean sheet in that 1-0 victory, but he was fortunate to get away with two mistakes in the first half, and he is now said to be weighing up an exit from Arsenal with his Euro 2024 hopes in jeopardy.

However, the report claims that Chelsea are planning to give Petrovic an extended run in the first team while Sanchez recuperates, as the Blues feel that the Serbian will prove to be a capable deputy over the festive period.

Furthermore, Pochettino's side allegedly believe that Bettinelli is one of the best third-choice goalkeepers in the Premier League, and they will therefore resist the temptation to add to their goalkeeping department.

Instead, Chelsea are expected to focus their efforts on signing a new big-name striker, while a defender and midfielder could also be targeted if the Blues can stay within Financial Fair Play regulations.

Ramsdale has recorded 32 clean sheets in 87 appearances for Arsenal since joining from Sheffield United in the summer of 2021, and he only signed a new contract back in May until the summer of 2026.

The Englishman's father recently admitted that Ramsdale had "lost his smile" in North London, though, while also criticising Arteta for his handling of the goalkeeping situation.