Petr Cech's move across London appears to be a case of when rather than if at this moment in time, as Arsenal look to complete at £10.9m deal in the coming days for the Chelsea stopper.
Following a highly-successful 11-year stint at Stamford Bridge, the Blues legend was no longer content with playing second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois between the sticks.
Chelsea must now seek out a capable replacement to fill the void left by the outgoing Cech, but replacing the fans' favourite will certainly be no easy task.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at five men who could potentially fill the back-up role.
Marcus Bettinelli
The England Under-21s youngster first emerged as a Chelsea target earlier this year, after Jose Mourinho was spotted in the stands at Craven Cottage to seemingly watch the youngster in action. Bettinelli is said to be worried that his future will stagnate somewhat by linking up with the Blues, which perhaps explains why he has kept his options open.
© Getty Images
Bettinelli does still have a few errors in his game which can occasionally pop up, but he was finally given an opportunity to shine at Craven Cottage last season - a chance he took with both hands. Across the duration of the campaign, it is fair to say that the former Dartford and Accrington Stanley loanee stood out to be crowned the club's most improved player.
Having now nailed down a starting spot on the banks of the Thames, the 23-year-old is right to be cautious over furthering his career at this early stage. The fate of certain other English goalkeeping hopefuls over the years, who have opted to for a big-time move rather than more regular game-time at a lower level, suggests that staying put would not necessarily be the worst decision Bettinelli could move.
Asmir Begovic
If it is a more experienced back-up Chelsea are after, someone who has plenty of Premier League action under their belt and performed consistently on the international stage, then they can do far worse than make an approach for Begovic this summer. The Bosnia international finds himself in a strange position at this moment in time, entering the final year of his Stoke contract but still highly rated by many.
© Getty Images
Mark Hughes could now cash in on the £8m-rated shot-stopper, who is said to have been the target of an ambitious bid by Aston Villa earlier this week. Much like Bettinelli before him, another player in the final 12 months of his current deal, Begovic may be reluctant to leave his current surroundings unless regular football is guaranteed.
Challenging Courtois for the No.1 jersey is a possibility, of course, but ousting one of the world's top three goalkeepers will certainly be no easy task. Stoke themselves would likely be willing to see the move go through, however, with a swap involving Victor Moses adding some leverage to a potential switch. The ball, it seems, is firmly in Begovic's court at this moment in time.
Robert Green
No keeper has been more strongly linked with a move to Chelsea of late than Green, who provides another home-grown option for the Blues to lure. Despite suffering another Premier League relegation last time out with Queens Park Rangers, the 35-year-old can be content with his performances on the whole.
© Getty Images
In fact, Green did enough to earn himself an England recall for their most recent fixtures, showing that age matters little when it comes to being a goalkeeper. It remains to be seen whether, in the final few years of his career, Green will be content with playing second fiddle, but the lure of potentially playing a part in winning trophies could tempt him into a move.
Championship football may no longer appeal to the Englishman, who could be available for as little as £2m during this summer's window. Not so much a wildcard option, but more a capable deputy who Chelsea know that they can rely on should their undisputed first-choice option pick up an injury during what is likely to be another gruelling campaign.
Jack Butland
Another Stoke goalkeeper who has been tipped with a switch to Chelsea, Butland could potentially continue his upward development at the Premier League champions next season. Despite being aged just 22, and making a total of six appearances for the Potters, Butland is surprisingly experienced for someone of his age due to his international exploits.
© Getty Images
Picked to man the sticks for Great Britain's Olympic football side in 2012, linking up with some of the top flight's more illustrious names, Butland was instantly thrown into the spotlight. A successful two-year qualifying campaign with England Under-21s, a side he skippered throughout, ended on a sour note when they exited this summer's Euros at the group stage.
The Bristol-born keeper could hardly be blamed for his side's dire showing, though, particularly when taking into account that just two goals were conceded throughout the Young Lions' route to the finals. Given a chance by boss Hughes at the end of last season, it remains unclear exactly who will start in goals for City next term. Should he be overlooked in favour of Begovic, then it could tempt him to try his luck elsewhere.
Tom Heaton
Following the theme of young English hopefuls reportedly being targeted by the West London club, John Ruddy has seen his name appear in the transfer columns on a regular basis in recent times. It seems unlikely that the Norwich City man will set sail this summer, however, with regular football at his newly-promoted side a certainty during 2015-16.
© Getty Images
Heaton, on the other hand, a man who has seemingly usurped Ruddy in the England senior reckoning if his recent call-up is anything to go by, appears to be a more realistic option. The Manchester United academy product has certainly made all the right moves so far in his career, particularly when opting to leave the Theatre of Dreams to try his luck further down the ladder.
Loan spells at six clubs followed, before he eventually decided to wave goodbye to United for good and try his luck at Cardiff City. A successful stint in South Wales came to an end in 2012 and, following a brief stay at Bristol City, he helped guide Burnley to the big time. Now Heaton may be on the move again, with Everton also among those said to be interested in landing his signature.
