“High hopes” for Chelsea youngster whose future will be decided at the end of this season | OneFootball

The international break gives us all a chance to look at some of the bigger picture stories around Chelsea, including players out on loan.

One constant thread around Stamford Bridge in recent years has been about goalkeepers – Robert Sanchez is constantly doubted, but those in charge show great faith in him.

Chelsea “have confidence” in top choice goalkeeper

Robert Sanchez against West Ham. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

According to Kieran Gill’s piece in the Daily Mail today, the line remains the same:

“Chelsea have confidence in Sanchez. That red card at Manchester United aside, he has shown his abilities in goal, including an improvement in his overall distribution.

“Chelsea are not set to go back in for AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, nor are they currently considering a move for any goalkeeper this January or next summer. They already have Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen, while Mike Penders is only 20 years old and seen as a potentially elite prospect.”

Penders future not decided – but potential is there

So what of Penders then. The young goalkeeper spent last year on loan in Belgium and is now in France with our sister club Strasbourg. What’s the plan for him long term? Gill compares him to the last Belgian keeper we bought, Thibaut Courtois:

“Chelsea signed Penders from Genk, the Belgian club at which they unearthed Thibaut Courtois once upon a time. Courtois spent three years on loan at Atletico Madrid after signing for Chelsea, remember. Penders will have had two years of being a loanee after a season with Genk and another with Strasbourg.

“It would be wrong to say what will happen with him next summer because that has not yet been decided. The entire goalkeeping situation will be evaluated closer to the time but clearly, there are high hopes for Penders.”