Despite Chelsea only signing Robert Sanchez over the summer, his long-term future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain.
Wayne Veysey of Football Insider claims Chelsea are looking to replace the 26-year-old as Mauricio Pochettino prefers Djordje Petrovic.
Whether they’ll be able to make back the money spent remains to be seen, however.
Sanchez struggling in debut season
Chelsea signed Sanchez from Brighton & Hove Albion for £25m in August. The Spanish international has made 19 appearances in his debut campaign, conceding 26 goals with only five clean sheets.
Chelsea sold Edouard Mendy and loaned out Kepa Arrizabalaga this summer, so there was pressure on Sanchez to deliver. He hasn’t lived up to expectations, however, and Pochettino may have already lost patience.
Before Chelsea signed the Spaniard, he was quickly falling down the pecking order at Brighton. Sanchez’s form fell off a cliff in mid-2023 and hasn’t really recovered.
Petrovic looks a shrewd signing
Petrovic has been a regular since Sanchez picked up a knee injury in December and may not lose his place now. The 24-year-old has made 17 appearances, conceding 21 goals with four clean sheets. He has a better record than Sanchez and should have a long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
Sanchez has a worse save percentage (70.5%) than Petrovic (71.4%) and a worse clean sheet percentage (18.8% to 22.2%). Chelsea paid £14m for the ex-New England goalkeeper this summer, so he wasn’t an obscure shot-stopper. He’s just taken his chance to impress with both hands and presents Pochettino with a problem to solve.
Veysey says Chelsea will listen to offers for Sanchez, but there is no active interest in him right now. Few clubs want to sign a goalkeeper on the treatment table, so it might be irrelevant if he’s transfer listed.
In other news, Chelsea are considering a move for Mathys Tel to solve their striker problem