The head coach of Chelsea Football Club, Enzo Maresca, since his arrival at the club has made it clear that Robert Sanchez is his preferred choice as the club's number-one goalkeeper for the 2024/25 season.
While this decision has caused concern among Chelsea supporters who do not agree with starting Sanchez over Djordje Petrovic, who was the club's goalkeeper for most of last season (2023/24), The Telegraph confirmed that Chelsea is seeking someone to challenge Sanchez for the number one spot when the 2024/25 season begins. This decision raises doubts about the immediate future of Petrovic, who might leave the Blues on loan or be sold outright.
We decided to highlight the performance of both goalkeepers since they joined Chelsea.
(1) Robert Sanchez:
Sanchez was signed from Brighton for £25m during the 2023 summer transfer window. The 26-year-old lost his place in the Seagulls' first team to Jason Steele, leading to his move to Chelsea.
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Sanchez was ranked as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe’s top five leagues when it came to stopping crosses, with a success rate of 9.4% - ranking fifth in the Premier League last season. It was also reported that he had 1.7 defensive actions outside his penalty area per 90 minutes, ranking sixth among goalkeepers in the Premier League. He was also involved in Chelsea’s overall play, touching the ball on average just over 40 times a game, showcasing the modern goalkeeper skills that Maresca values, including participation in the build-up play in defense.
(2) Djordje Petrovic:
Petrovic earned a spot in the first team due to Sanchez’s injury. Despite Sanchez's recovery, Pochettino decided to keep Petrovic in the starting 11 based on his performance for the Blues.
There are concerns about Petrovic's ability to perform at the same level. His completion rate for launched passes longer than 40 yards was only 31.3%, whereas Sanchez achieved 41.5%, ranking them 20th and fourth in the Premier League last season, respectively. When Sanchez made long passes, they were more accurate, finding teammates, while Petrovic tended to opt for a safer approach, focusing on simply clearing the ball.
Due to this underwhelming statistic, Maresca has chosen to continue with Sanchez instead of Petrovic or possibly bring in a new goalkeeper.
However, Chelsea is considering the possibility of replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga with Lunin, as Kepa is interested in joining Real Madrid. Lunin was a key part of Real Madrid's success last season, he led them to winning the league title and the UEFA Champions League.
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