This Wednesday, Chelsea made official a transfer that was surprising to say the least. Although persistently tracked by OM, Filip Jörgensen finally landed on the Blues side. A 6-year contract for the Danish goalkeeper while Chelsea paid the sum of 25 million to afford him. The former Villarreal goalkeeper will therefore join the London club’s incredible armada at the goalkeeper level. With Robert Sánchez bought for 23 million a year ago, Djordje Petrovic bought for 17 million last summer, Gabriel Slonina bought for 10 million two years ago, Lucas Bergström (trained at the club), Marcus Bettinelli recovered on a free two years ago and Kepa Arrizabalaga back from his loan from Real Madrid, Todd Boehly’s club has 7 goalkeepers in its squad and is even continuing to spend.
Because as if that were not enough, in the last few hours Chelsea have made a move for another goalkeeper, this time from Belgium. And this transfer is causing a lot of talk. In fact, according to information from Latest Newsafter having secured Jörgensen, the Blues will soon be getting Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders. This young 19-year-old goalkeeper plays for Genk. In this case, the Belgian club will recover more than 20 million for a player who played his first professional match… this weekend during the first day of the Belgian championship against Standard de Liège.
A new goalkeeper for 20 million
According to the Belgian press, the transfer is already completed and Genk will therefore make the biggest sale of a goalkeeper in the Belgian championship ahead of Verbruggen, Vandevoordt or Courtois who left Genk in 2011 for 9 million euros. If Chelsea has therefore paid more than 20 million euros in this story for the Belgian who will sign a long-term contract, the player will not arrive this summer. Genk will recover him in the process on a one-year loan to continue his progression.
A new transfer that is part of Chelsea’s rather surprising recruitment policy, which wants to monopolize all the talents, even if it means piling them up and sending them out on loan. But with this recruitment, Chelsea has 8 goalkeepers in its squad and has now spent 70 million on this position, not counting the 80 million on Kepa in 2018. Despite this spending, the club does not seem to have a goalkeeper of international stature. And while the squad is increasingly full (46 players), Chelsea’s way of doing things is being singled out. Some denounce purchases to block the competition… And for the moment, it’s hard to prove them wrong.
