Chelsea loanee Mike Penders came in for heavy criticism following Strasbourg's 3-3 draw with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 on Friday (October 17). The Belgian goalkeeper is on loan at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg to gain valuable game time.
The 20-year-old is expected to be the Blues' number one in the future but is currently not viewed as a viable starter in Enzo Maresca's side. He headed to sister club Strasbourg in the summer where he's become Liam Rosenier's number one.
Penders was between the sticks for his side's impressive 3-3 draw away to PSG but he was called out for a questionable performance.
Chelsea loanee Penders given poor rating vs PSG
Penders has caught the eye with several showings this season, keeping clean sheets in wins over Metz (1-0), Le Havre (1-0) and Angers (5-0). The Belgium U21 international was always going to have a difficult night at the Parc des Princes but French media suggest he was to blame for a mistake-prone outing.
French outlet Foot Mercato handed the Belgian a 4.5 player rating and explained:
"Crucified in the 5th minute by Barcola, the young 20-year-old Belgian goalkeeper could do nothing to stop PSG's opening goal (1-0). He recovered well in the 22nd minute by pushing away a long-range shot from the same Barcola. Little used after that, he held out for a long time against Parisian pressure, before making a big mistake: a poorly controlled exit on Doué, resulting in a penalty converted by Ramos (2-3, 56th). Booked for the action, Penders redeemed himself in the 70th minute by saving his team from a close-range shot from Ramos. Mayulu equalized in the 79th minute after an initial save from Penders (3-3)."
Penders is still at the very start of his career and experiencing high-pressure games such as facing the European champions will put him in good stead going forward. He has yet to even debut for Chelsea's senior team, joining the Blues from Belgian outfit Genk in the summer of 2024 for £17 million (per BBC Sport).
Chelsea scouts reported Penders could be the next Thibaut Courtois
Penders was regarded as one of Europe's most exciting young shot-stoppers and it was the West Londoners who sealed his signature. Much like Manchester United's new number one Senne Lammens, he's tipped to follow in the foosteps of Belgian legend and former Blue Thibaut Courtois.
Fabrizio Romano revealed club scouts' reports on the youngster after he signed a eight-year deal (via The Real Chelsea Fans):
“The feedback they had on this goalkeeper was [he’s] something really, really special. So they consider him the new Thibaut Courtois in Belgium,” Romano revealed.
He added:
“Chelsea had a fantastic, fantastic report on him every single time their people were watching and following the player.”
That's why the odd poor performance here or there isn't cause for concern because he has his whole career in front of him. His loan in a team that is impressing in Ligue 1 could lead to him challenging Robert Sanchez for the number one jersey next season.