Liam Rosenior picks Chelsea ‘number one’ goalkeeper for next season – it’s NOT Robert Sanchez | OneFootball

Chelsea are preparing to hand Mike Penders the number one shirt next season, with TEAMtalk able to reveal that BlueCo’s long-term plan for the young goalkeeper is now being put into place.

Penders, currently on loan at Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg, has long been earmarked as a future first-choice goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge following his arrival from KRC Genk.

Chelsea and Genk agreed on a deal for Penders in the summer of 2024 for the goalkeeper to move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2025.

The Blues sent Penders out on loan to Ligue 1 club Strasbourg for the 2025/26 campaign, and his performances have been hugely impressive.

Sources have told us that the 20-year-old Belgian’s rapid development in France has convinced the Chelsea hierarchy to fast-track that vision of having him as the long-term number one goalkeeper at the London club.

Penders has impressed throughout the campaign in Ligue 1, and we understand that the decision has now been made for him to return to West London this summer – not for another loan spell away from Stamford Bridge, but to compete immediately for the starting role.

Our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, has confirmed the situation is now clear behind the scenes, with current Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior playing a key role.

Rosenior worked with Penders when he was in charge of Strasbourg, and the Chelsea boss believes that the Belgium Under-21 international is good enough to replace Robert Sanchez in his starting line-up next season.

“Chelsea are bringing back Penders in the summer, and the plan is for him to stay, they won’t be loaning him out,” Bailey revealed.

“And I am told the expectation is that he will be number one.

“They rate him very highly, and Liam Rosenior, who as it stands will be in charge, is a huge fan of the player, having worked with him in France.”

Chelsea’s faith in Penders comes after a season of uncertainty between the posts.

The Blues explored a move for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan last summer, but the deal failed to materialise, leading to Sanchez continuing as the club’s first choice.

However, that decision has not delivered the desired stability.

Sanchez has faced increasing scrutiny over the course of the campaign, with a string of high-profile errors – including his latest in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester City in the Premier League, raising serious questions about his long-term future at the club.

Bailey has added that Chelsea’s stance on their goalkeeping situation has now shifted decisively.

“Any links with big-name goalkeepers and Chelsea are a thing of the past now, Penders is their man and the one they are planning for,” he said.

That leaves Sanchez facing an uncertain future at Chelsea.

TEAMtalk understands that the 28-year-old Spain international is unlikely to accept a prolonged spell as a backup option, and an exit this summer is now viewed as a strong possibility as Chelsea move forward with a new starter.

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