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Chelsea to COPY Man Utd transfer example with wonderkid to solve long-term Maresca problem
Suraj Radia
- 9 Dec 2025 15:14 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Chelsea could be set to back out of the pursuit of one of their top transfer targets for next summer, with Enzo Maresca seemingly identifying another solution to a long-term issue for his side.
The Blues spent €340 million on players during the summer and it could have been more had they sealed a deal to sign Mike Maignan from Milan prior to the Club World Cup.
Current ETV
Mike Maignan
GK
Milan
Mike Maignan
GK
Milan
ETV Range
€14.3M - €17.4M
Chelsea eventually pulled out of a deal for the French goalkeeper after failing to agree financial terms with Milan but it was anticipated that they would return for Maignan next summer when his contract expires.
However, transfer reporter Ben Jacobs has suggested that Chelsea could instead prioritise the development of young keeper Mike Penders, on loan at affiliate side Strasbourg, while Maresca is said to be satisfied with the form of current number one Robert Sanchez this season.
“Chelsea are quite calm about their goalkeepers,” Jacobs told Betway. “They are steering away from the notion that another experience number one is just going to come in.
“Part of that is because, whereas last summer Chelsea might have considered a more experienced goalkeeper, by the time they reach next summer, Mike Penders will have completed a full season with Strasbourg. Even though he's young, Chelsea feels he could be a generational talent.”
He added: “Maignan is exploring other options, but I think the idea that Chelsea will simply return is, at this stage, downplayed because they're quite happy with their goalkeeping options.”
Chelsea hoping for Lammens-style impact from Penders
Maignan was seeing as an ‘opportunistic’ option for Chelsea last summer, according to Jacobs, and the 30-year-old may even consider extending his deal with Milan if they qualify for the Champions League, although currently he is thought to be set to depart the club on a free transfer next year.
While Chelsea may still pursue a deal, much will depend on their current goalkeeping options such as Filip Jorgensen, who could be allowed to depart if Chelsea can recoup the €21m they paid for him in 2024.
However, Penders is seen as the most likely option to take over Sanchez if Maresca looks to make a change, with Chelsea seeing the 20-year-old as a similar solution to Senne Lammens, who has become Manchester United’s starting goalkeeper after just one full season as a top flight starter.
Jacobs said: “In the same way that Senne Lammens, another Belgian, has come straight into Manchester United and carries authority and consistency between the sticks, Chelsea sees no reason why, once his Strasbourg loan ends, Penders can't challenge for the number one spot at Chelsea, and they'll be reticent about stifling Pender's pathway, coupled with the fact that Sanchez is a worthy number one as it stands.”
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