Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech looks set to stay at Stamford Bridge until the end of the the 2014-15 season, but his agent seems to be angling for him to make a summer move to either Arsenal or Liverpool.
The veteran shot-stopper's representative, Viktor Kolar, has poured cold water on the idea Cech may leave Stamford Bridge in the new year but did suggest an eventual departure from west London is inevitable.
Cech has been demoted to second-choice 'keeper behind Thibaut Courtois this season but still seems very capable of plying his trade at the top level, and Kolar has encouraged two of the Premier League's biggest clubs to go in for him in the transfer market, per Darren Lewis in the Mirror:
It’s unlikely Petr will leave Chelsea in the January transfer window. The club and coach want to keep him to help win the title. I think Arsenal should have made an offer to him. I think Petr would be considering it. Liverpool need to strengthen their position in goal and they know Petr will be available in the summer.
Lewis also reports that Blues boss Jose Mourinho has yet to receive any offers for his 32-year-old 'keeper, but Cech certainly still merits a starting berth in the Premier League.
At 32 years old, Cech still has time left in his career, and he has been such a stalwart for Chelsea in the English top flight over the last 10 years that it seems strange that he has made just one Premier League start all term.
But Mourinho clearly sees Courtois as his long-term No. 1, and Cech is likely to move on in a search for first-team football.
Certainly Liverpool could do with the Czech Republic international, the Reds' No. 1 Simon Mignolet having been one of the side's weakest links in a poor season thus far.
Mignolet has recently been dropped to the bench and replaced by Brad Jones, but Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers needs to find a long-term solution between the posts, per football writer Phil Cadden:
Equally, Arsenal's 24-year-old Wojciech Szczesny has been unchallenged for the No. 1 spot at the Emirates for some time now—despite the summer arrival of David Ospina—and could perhaps benefit from some genuine competition for his place.
While Szczesny is sometimes brilliant, he is inconsistent, and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger could benefit from the addition of the vastly experienced Cech to bring some serenity to Arsenal's often calamitous back line, per ESPN's Kristan Heneage:
Cech's current contract at Stamford Bridge runs until 2016, but having lost his starting place, it seems likely he will seek a move in the summer.
He certainly still has the quality to play at the top level, and Liverpool should definitely be looking at bringing him in, as their current goalkeeping situation is unsustainable.
Mourinho would no doubt wish to see Cech stay at Stamford Bridge as he is a superb back-up to Courtois, but the Portuguese manager will surely understand his veteran 'keeper's desire to play first-team football and allow him to depart in the summer.
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