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Mikel has urged Chelsea to sign Benfica's Trubin despite costly errors in Club World Cup clash
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has strongly urged his old club to pursue Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, even after the Ukrainian's performance against the Blues in the Club World Cup was a mix of brilliance and critical errors.
Mikel's call comes despite reports suggesting Chelsea are unlikely to prioritise a new goalkeeper signing this summer.
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Chelsea emerged victorious from a wild and weather-delayed encounter against Benfica in Charlotte, advancing to the quarter-finals with a 4-1 extra-time win.
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Reece James had initially given Chelsea the lead with a superb free-kick, but the game was suspended with just five minutes remaining due to adverse weather. Upon resumption, Benfica leveled from the penalty spot, forcing extra time.
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In extra time, Chelsea found their rhythm, with goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sealing their progress. While the Blues ultimately controlled the game, particularly in an impressive first-half display, Trubin, the 23-year-old Benfica shot-stopper, was at the heart of the action.
Trubin notably made seven important saves in the first half, denying Chelsea on multiple occasions, including a big chance for Marc Cucurella.
However, the second half and extra time saw him make a couple of costly mistakes that directly contributed to Chelsea's goals.
What Mikel said
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Despite these errors, Mikel's conviction in Trubin's talent remained unshaken.
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"Again another mistake from Trubin," Mikel told DAZN during his post-match analysis.
He added, "We talked about him before the game. He has had a brilliant tournament so far. Today’s one of those days, he just needed to forget it. I still think we (Chelsea) need to get Trubin."
Trubin joined Benfica in August 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk on a contract reportedly running until June 2028.
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