Chelsea goalkeeper update as ‘Mike Penders not expected to be at club next season’
Chelsea will have a number of goalkeepers to choose from at the start of next season, but Mike Penders is not expected to be at Enzo Maresca’s disposal.
The Italian manager has struggled to settle on a number one throughout this campaign, with both Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen failing to impress.
Despite the lack of a strong presence between the sticks, Chelsea are still in prime position to secure Champions League football, after an impressive win over the already-confirmed champions Liverpool on Sunday (4 May).
The Blues are also still in the hunt for a European trophy and currently hold a 4-1 lead over Djugarden after the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final.
Penders won’t be in contention at Chelsea next season
Chelsea confirmed the signing of Penders from Genk at the start of the season, as Todd Boehly continued to splash the cash on young talent, but the 19-year-old does not officially join up with the club until this summer.
However, according to a report in The Athletic (6 May), the Belgian shot-stopper will most likely be sent straight back out on loan to continue his development.
The Athletic add that Chelsea don’t plan to sign another keeper in the summer transfer window, which would leave Sanchez, Jorgensen and Djordje Petrovic battling for starts.
Sanchez has been consistently criticised by Chelsea fans throughout his time at the club, but the Spaniard has started the last eight Premier League games in a row.
Maresca must sort Chelsea goalkeeper problem
Football Insider Verdict
If Chelsea want to begin battling for Premier League titles again then they must solve the current goalkeeping problem that they have at the club.
None of their current three main keepers inspire much confidence, as Sanchez and Jorgensen are both prone to a mistake, and Petrovic is poor with his feet.
| Position | Team | Games Played | Points |
| 1 | Liverpool (C) | 35 | 82 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 35 | 67 |
| 3 | Man City | 35 | 64 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 35 | 63 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 35 | 63 |
Penders will arrive in the summer but as so often is the case with Chelsea signings, the young keeper is far from ready for first team football, and will need a loan before he can be considered.
Therefore, if Chelsea aren’t going to dip into the market for a strong senior goalkeeper in the summer, then Maresca may have to wait another season before he can launch a title charge.
Alisson is consistently world-class for Liverpool, and a major reason why they have secured their 20th top-flight title this season, and the Blues need a player of that ilk to challenge at the top of the Premier League.