Chelsea have been working overtime to bolster their squad in the ongoing summer transfer window. They have brought in major signings like Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens. However, recently, the Blues have been busy parting with players to balance their books before making any further additions to their roster.
Chelsea have done a lot of business with their sister club Strasbourg in the last few years. Andrey Santos returned to the Blues after completing a season-long loan at the French club, which has helped him develop his game further and find his feet in Europe.
More recently, Chelsea transferred Mathis Amougou to Strasbourg and Mamadou Sarr is also close to moving there on loan. Now, it seems like there’s another name set to follow in the footsteps of his teammates and move to France.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed in a post that all formal steps are completed for Mike Penders to leave Chelsea on loan and join RC Strasbourg. He further stated that after this loan deal goes through Kendry Paez is up next.
Fabrizio Romano confirms that Mike Penders is all set to join Strasbourg
Chelsea brought in the Belgian keeper from KRC Genk for a transfer fee around €20 million. Standing at 6’7”, Penders is one of the most highly rated rising goalkeepers in the world and compared with Thibaut Courtois by many. But he will need regular minutes at this juncture of his career, which is hard to get at Stamford Bridge. So, this loan deal could prove to be a major stepping stone in his journey.
Santos was sent on loan to Strasbourg last season, similar to Penders. The Brazilian international dropped some incredible performances for the French side and has returned to Stamford Bridge in a much better position to contribute.
As a result, Enzo Maresca has shown his trust in the player and gave him opportunities through four appearances in Chelsea’s Club World Cup winning journey. Can Penders also a follow a similar trajectory and make his mark in France? Only time will tell.