Chelsea’s links with Nice keeper Marcin Bulka have continued today, with several sources
Bulka was 8th of every player in the top 5 European leagues in terms of goals against per 90, with Nice conceding 26 goals against them in the league all year. Bulka’s confidence, behind a deep defence and a highly controlled style of play, was a big part of that. Only Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid conceded fewer goals all season.
He’s also 8th in pure save percentage, which is a stat that’s less affected by the style the team plays. Some teams concede better shots than others, but this is certainly a list you want to be high on, and finishing this high among all the keepers in Europe is very promising.
His ability with the ball isn’t in question either – Nice are one of the most possession heavy teams and Bulka was picked ahead of his rivals in part because he can handle that.
A top option remaining on the table
This is a very interesting potential move for the Blues, and we can see why they’re really considering. Bulka is still young, and looks available at a reasonable price. He’s currently on low wages, and Chelsea could sign him up long term for a pretty affordable all around package
It would mean admitting defeat and punting on both Djordje Petrovic and Robert Sanchez – but realising when you’ve made a mistake early is a vital part of putting it right. If they’re sure that Bulka is the man, the sooner they get him in place the better. Some reports have claimed that Maresca is happy with Sanchez, but we struggle to believe that. It sounds more like the club trying to convince themselves – or even other clubs that they’re not in the market for a new option.