Chelsea name retired Petr Cech in Prem squad with 38-year-old available for sensational comeback amid keeper woes

CHELSEA have sensationally named 38-year-old club legend and technical director Petr Cech in their 25-man Premier League squad list.

Although Chelsea have well-documented keeper issues, naming Cech, who played 494 times for Chelsea between 2004 and 2015, will raise many eyebrows.

Petr Cech has been working with new keeper Edouard Mendy in training but he could now rival himCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Cech is also trying to restore Kepa’s confidenceCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The Czech star retired at the end of the 2018-19 season after a four-year spell with Chelsea rivals Arsenal.

But Cech was revered around Stamford Bridge and was brought back as technical director by chief exec Marina Granovskaia.

A statement on the Chelsea website attempted to explain why the goalkeeping great had been brought out of retirement.

It read: “Petr Cech has been included in the squad as emergency goalkeeper cover.

“This is a precautionary step due to the unprecedented conditions currently caused by the Covid-19 crisis.

“He takes up a position as a non-contract player.”

Speaking after Chelsea’s 0-0 Champions League draw with Sevilla, boss Frank Lampard insisted he would be happy to use his former team-mate if required.

He said: “It’s definitely not for the romance.

“Pete’s been training with the keepers for a little while. He’s very fit and still relatively young.

“Pete finished playing when he could have probably carried on and taken on his role at Chelsea, which he does very well.

“We had a space in the squad and this year is like no other because of Covid and what it might do to selection and isolation. So it was an easy one.

“Pete will still do his day job but he’s there if we need him.

“Whether we see him or not I’m not so sure. It depends how the season goes with Covid and isolations.

Cech won four Premier League titles and a Champions League as Frank Lampard’s team-mate at ChelseaCredit: Getty – Contributor

“I certainly felt it was a no brainer to have Pete in the squad for that reason and he can only help the goalkeepers we have. He’s one of the best in the world in the modern era.

If we’re in crisis we couldn’t ask for anything much better than having Petr Cech around.

“I don’t expect it but nobody expected what we’ve seen in the last six or seven months around the world.”

Seeing his name on the squad list will only increase pressure on under-fire Kepa after the latest in a long line of errors.

He deputised for new signing Edouard Mendy in the 3-3 draw with Southampton at the weekend but combining with Kurt Zouma allowed Che Adams to finish.

Last season the £72 million club-record signing was replaced numerous times in the starting XI by now-third choice Willy Caballero, who is eight-months OLDER than Cech.

And boss Frank Lampard had seemingly seen enough and raided Rennes for £22m Mendy this summer.

All three keepers are on the squad list, along with elder statesman Cech.

Unsurprisingly after his showing at the weekend, Kepa was dropped for the Blues’ Champions League game against Sevilla, with Mendy rushed back from injury and takes his place between the sticks.

Cech is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League era – where he has kept a record 202 clean sheets – and among Chelsea’s greatest ever players.

His 494 appearances in all competitions for the Blues is beaten by only six other players and he holds numerous goalkeeping records at Stamford Bridge.

During his first spell with the club he won four Premier League titles, three League Cups, four FA Cups, the Europa League and the Champions League.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk