This summer, Mike Penders will officially become a Chelsea player. He’s been on the books at Chelsea since his £17m move in the summer of 2024, but this time around, he will actually play.
Chelsea completed the deal two years ago, but Penders would remain at Genk for the 2024-25 season before joining Chelsea. He was part of the squad that won the Club World Cup under Enzo Maresca.
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He didn’t play, however. Penders – who was a back-up goalkeeper for Belgium at the World Cup – was sent on loan to BlueCo’s other club, Strasbourg. The Belgian performed superbly, and now he returns.
But this time, when Penders does finally arrive for pre-season training, he will be a part of Chelsea’s side and not sent on loan. BBC Sport claims that Robert Sanchez will remain first choice despite his form.
Xabi Alonso hands Mike Penders an unexpected boost
After behind-closed-doors friendlies against Bromley and Crawley, Chelsea get their pre-season campaign underway on Tuesday morning. The Blues face Western Sydney Wanderers at the Accor Stadium.
During his pre-match press conference, Alonso was asked if he had picked his first-choice goalkeeper. He responded by saying he had not made any decisions, and the competition in the squad is only healthy.
Alonso was asked: “Have you decided your number one goalkeeper is going to be yet?”, and he replied: “Everything is open. All the positions. I say that the competition within the squad is positive; I like that.”
Who should start for Chelsea against Fulham on August 24?
There are three options here. Either Alonso opts for experience over form and selects Sanchez to start the first game of the season, or he opts for form and potential with Penders. That, or he signs a new keeper.
What would you do with Robert Sanchez and Mike Penders?
The priorities, as things stand, look to be a deal for Maxence Lacroix and replacing Marc Cucurella. There has been more talk about bringing in a midfielder over a goalkeeper, though keepers have been linked.
At the start of the summer, Chelsea were said to have a shortlist of six goalkeepers. A shopping list that included Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, as well as Portugal’s no.1 Diogo Costa.
As things stand, it seems likeliest that Sanchez will get the nod. But there are plenty of opportunities to impress in training and in friendlies before that, plenty of chances for Penders to prove he should start.
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