Chelsea invite free agent Marco Amelia on trial as Jose Mourinho eyes emergency swoop for former AC Milan goalkeeper

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Chelsea have invited former AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia on trial as Jose Mourinho considers signing the free agent as emergency cover.

With No 1 Thibaut Courtois injured until January, Mourinho has Asmir Begovic in the first team and Jamal Blackman as back-up.

The Chelsea boss would like to bring in another goalkeeper and signing Amelia and playing him immediately would not break any Barclays Premier League rules.

Chelsea have invited former AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia on trial with a move to signing the veteran

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is considering an emergency swoop for the Italian free agent

The champions have room within their 25-man limit to add another senior foreign player if he was not connected to another club when the transfer window closed.

With two senior goalkeepers fit, they would not be granted permission by the Premier League to sign a keeper on an emergency loan.

Begovic has performed well in the absence of Courtois but is playing in every game in every competition at the moment and Mourinho is concerned what might happen if the Bosnian international were to be hit by a sudden injury or suspension.

Mourinho was asked by a Portuguese reporter, on the eve of Chelsea's Champions League game on Porto, if he was planning to sign Helton, the 37-year-old Brazilian veteran who is no longer in the team at Porto.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is out until January after suffering a knee injury during training

Bosnian stopper Asmir Begovic (centre) has been thrust into the limelight following Courtois' injury

'Helton has a contract with Porto and would only be available in January,' said Mourinho. 'We need a goalkeeper now, not in January when Courtois will be available.'

Amelia is a former Italy international, who started his career at Livorno and was part of the World Cup winning squad in 2006 as the third 'keeper.

At 33 years old, he is still young in goalkeeping terms but has not played a game in professional football since he left Milan in 2014.

He spent most of last season with amateur club Rocca Priora, where he was also made honorary president, before signing for Perugia in February but played only once for the Serie B club and his contract ended in August.

Amelia, seen here in 2013, has not played a game in professional football since he left Milan in 2014