Chelsea yet to make decision on goalkeeper’s future

Chelsea face AC Milan on Tuesday evening hoping to move a step closer to securing place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Graham Potter’s side have so far won one, drawn one and lost one of their opening three games in the competition, which leaves them second in Group E, behind RB Salzburg.

The Blues beat Milan last week at Stamford Bridge and could move top of the group if they win at the San Siro and Dinamo Zagreb get a result against Salzburg.

One big decision that Potter will have to make for the game will be in goal, with Kepa Arrizabalaga having started all four of Potter’s games in charge of the club, ahead of Edouard Mendy who was initially injured.

It remains to be seen which of the two ‘keepers Potter will opt for in Milan, but in the meantime it is another Blues shot stopper that is a topic of conversation.

Gabriel Slonina was signed by the Premier League club over the summer but then American stayed put on loan with Chicago Fire until the end of the recent MLS season.

Slonina is set to train at Cobham for two weeks

With the MLS season now over, though, the player’s future is now uncertain.

As reported by Football London, the 18-year-old is set to train in the capital for two weeks while his new employers figure out what to do with him.

The Blues are undecided on what to do with the player, and he may even return to the US for a second loan spell, it is suggested.

After his training programme, the ‘keeper will return to his homeland, but Chelsea may opt to include him in their first team setup from January onwards.

The teenager, who cost Chelsea £12 million during the recent transfer window, has impressed over the past 12 months, keeping 12 clean sheets in 32 MLS games this term.

Potter currently has former Fulham man Marcus Bettinelli as emergency back-up to Kepa and Mendy, so it is unlikely that Slonina would be given much playing time if he were to stay in London for the second half of the season.

Slonina was one of a number of high-profile young stars who joined Chelsea over the summer, as Todd Boehly planned for a successful future at the club after taking over.

The Chicago Fire man has been capped by the US national side at several age groups up to under-20s, and he has been tipped for a senior cap in the near future.