Chelsea are in the battle for a new third-choice shot-stopper in this transfer window following the exit of Wilfredo Caballero. And one of the options under consideration at the London club is English shot-stopper Marcus Bettinelli, a free agent after being released by Fulham.
Bettinelli joined the Cottagers academy when he was a 14-year-old in 2006 before making swift progress in their youth setup and breaking into the first-team squad in 2010. However, after over a decade and a half with Fulham, Marcus is now a free agent following the end of his contract with Fulham.
Throughout his time with the Cottagers, the English shot-stopper played 120 games, keeping 31 clean sheets in the process.
Last campaign, Bettinelli was on loan at Middlesbrough, and the shot-stopper appears to have impressed one of the giants of the game enough to be linked with a summer move, with the Blues showing an interest in the Englishman.
The London club are in the market for a new third-choice shot-stopper after the departure of the Argentine goalkeeper Willy Caballero, who is now a free agent.
While the Blues already have two high-class shot-stoppers in Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga, they intend to have a third goalkeeper in their team, with Jiri Pavlenka among those on their list.
Another shot-stopper who has been strongly linked with the London club is Wayne Hennessey, a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace this summer.
However, Wales international is reportedly on his way to Burnley, which is why the Blues have now turned their attention towards another free agent in Marcus.
The report does not reveal a lot about how far the London club have taken their interest in the 29-year-old shot-stopper, suggesting that it is just in the initial stages.
Chelsea do appear to be keen on signing a new third-choice shot-stopper, and it will be interesting to see if he ends up becoming a serious target.
For now, Marcus is seemingly one of many alternatives being considered by the Blues to strengthen their goalkeeping position in this transfer window, and it stays to be seen if Chelsea launch the offensive for Bettinelli anytime soon.
For Marcus, joining the Blues as their third-choice shot-stopper could be an ideal move, likely sitting out the next few years on a decent wage, waiting for the time when he’d be called upon. But Bettinelli could instead want to make his mark in the match and join a club where he’ll have much more opportunity of playing.
