EXCLUSIVE:
The Chelsea goalkeeper is ready to tel
the club that he wants to move to the Gunners as
he is keen to keep his family in London
By Greg Stobart
Petr Cech will tell Chelsea that he wants to join
Arsenal this summer.
Cech looks set to leave the club in the transfer
window in search of regular first-team
opportunities after falling behind Thibaut Courtois
in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal have shown the most serious interest in
Cech and believe they can strike a deal with
Chelsea to sign the 33-year-old, despite initially
being told that the Premier League champions
would not sell to a direct rival.
Jose Mourinho has said that he would prefer Cech
to move abroad but there is a growing sense that
Chelsea will let him choose his next club out of
respect for his 11 years of service in west London.
Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with the
goalkeeper in the past while Manchester United ar
closely monitoring his situation should David De
Gea complete his anticipated switch to Real Madri
this summer.
But Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to
tempt Cech with his ambitious plans to challenge
for the Premier League title next season after the
Gunners successfully retained the FA Cup last
weekend.
Crucially, a move to Arsenal would mean the
former Rennes keeper would be able to stay in
London; he is keen to avoid uprooting his family,
with his two children settled at school in the
capital.
The Czech Republic international has only one yea
remaining on his contract but Chelsea are
expected to demand at least €20 million for his
services.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho suggested last
month that he would urge the club to resist sellin
Cech, who made 16 appearances this season but
just seven in the Premier League, particularly if his
departure was to facilitate the improvement of a
direct rival.
But the Portuguese also admitted that the decisio
might be taken out of his hands by Chelsea owne
Roman Abramovich and the club’s board.
Mourinho said: “One thing is Jose Mourinho and
another is Mr Abramovich, and another thing is th
board, because the board is a little bit of me and
little bit of other people.
“If it was me, if it was my decision, the decision is
Petr to stay. That’s it. It would be my decision for
Petr to stay. Even against his will? Yes.
“For me, decision number one, Petr will stay. After
that, second point, is for him to go but not to stay
in England. The option I don’t want is for him to
go to an English club.
“But, I repeat, I am just the manager and he mean
so much for this club and what he did in this club
I think he deserves everything from this club. If th
club decision is different to mine I will accept it.”
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