Todd Boehly may have to watch what he spends this summer to make sure Chelsea stay on the right side of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). With that in mind, the Blues are reportedly eyeing up cut-price goalkeeper Bento, along with a collection of rival suitors in Europe.
Bento, 24, made his debut for the Brazilian national team in the friendly win over England last weekend. The 6ft 3in stopper has been a regular with Athletico Paranaense in his homeland over the past two seasons.
Closing in on 150 senior appearances at club level, those keeping tabs on Bento have evidently seen enough as the race for his signature is heating up ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan and Benfica are keen on the goalkeeper and his palatable £13million price tag. However, Chelsea are also ‘lurking’ in the background and threatening to snap him up for themselves.
Boehly has already overseen the signing of two goalkeepers during his time at Stamford Bridge. But Robert Sanchez has failed to convince, and while Djordje Petrovic has been solid when called upon, only time will tell whether his performances have been effective enough to stop a prospective Bento deal in its tracks.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, who remains the most expensive goalkeeper of all time, is still on the books at Stamford Bridge but seems unlikely to feature for the Londonders again once his loan spell at Real Madrid concludes.
Premier League clubs are permitted to lose a maximum of £105m over a given three-year period under PSR. Everton and Nottingham Forest have both been slapped with points deductions this season due to breaching the threshold.
A move for Bento would be one of the cheapest deals thrashed out by Boehly and his team of recruitment specialists, providing Chelsea are able to fend off competition for the 24-year-old this summer.
