Serie A side keen on signing out of favor Chelsea star - Reports

Reigning Serie A champions AC Milan are reportedly interested in signing Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

According to Corriere della Sara (via Get Italian Football News), the Rossoneri are looking for a goalkeeper on a low-cost and short-term deal. The report comes amid Milan No. 1 Mike Maignan's recent injury troubles.

Maignan missed each of his club's final 11 matches across Serie A and the UEFA Champions League before the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to a calf injury. The injury also kept him out of France's squad for the tournament in Qatar.

The report stated that Milan admire Mendy, who has fallen down the pecking order at Chelsea. However, the Serie A giants are also rumored to be interested in Atalanta BC goalkeeper Marco Sportiello, whose current contract expires next summer. Mendy, meanwhile, has a deal running until the summer of 2025.

It's worth noting that AC Milan do have a couple of back-up options within their squad itself. Ciprian Tatarusanu has benefitted the most from Maignan's injury, making 12 appearances across the league and the Champions League this term. He has conceded 12 goals and kept four clean sheets in those games.

The Rossoneri also have Antonio Mirante in their squad. However, Tatarusanu is 36, while Mirante is 39, and both players are on contracts that will expire in the next six months.

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Edouard Mendy is behind Kepa Arrizabalaga in the pecking order at Chelsea

Edouard Mendy was one of Chelsea's best players in their run to glory in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League. His displays that season and for Senegal in the 2021 African Cup of Nations saw him continue as the Blues' undisputed No. 1 until earlier this season.

However, a string of below-par performances has seen Kepa Arrizabalaga overtake him to become the club's first-choice goalkeeper. Mendy conceded just 29 times in 44 matches for Chelsea in the 2020-21 season. That number increased to 40 in 49 matches in the following campaign.

This season, the Senegalese shipped nine goals in his first six Premier League matches. He also made a few uncharacteristic errors, which saw Arrizabalaga receive a chance to make an impression.

Graham Potter's arrival helped the Spaniard's case as he was better with his feet, a crucial component of the English tactician's build-up play. Arrizabalaga took his chance well to emerge as Chelsea's No. 1.

In 12 matches this season, he has conceded eight times and kept six clean sheets. Mendy, meanwhile, has shipped 15 goals in 11 matches and managed just one clean sheet.