Chelsea make key summer transfer decision that won’t be popular with fans

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca hasn’t seemingly settled on a goalkeeper while the Blues have a number of stoppers out on loan at present – all hoping to return as No.1

Chelsea will NOT sign a new No.1 in the summer after giving their current keepers a huge vote of confidence.

Robert Sanchez and Filip Jörgensen have both made high profile errors this season and have been under scrutiny. Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has backed them both publicly and voiced his overwhelming support for his keepers.

And the club are adamant they will not look to sign a new keeper this summer because they believe in their squad and options for the future.

They still believe that Jorgensen has big potential while they signed Belgium teenager Mike Penders last year from Genk and he is seen as a big prospect who will arrive this summer.

Serbia keeper Djordje Petrovic has also been on loan at Strasbourg. Spain keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is on loan at Bournemouth but wants to go back to Chelsea, although it remains to be seen if he is in their plans.

Meanwhile, owner Todd Boehly has not ruled out the possibility of changes to Chelsea’s ownership structure in the next year, while admitting recent fan protests against the club’s bosses were “par for the course”.

The American owns just under 37 per cent of the club via his company BlueCo 22 Holdings, with Clearlake Capital having a majority 61.5 per cent stake. Between them the two entities make up BlueCo, Chelsea’s ultimate owner. Last year it was reported those two groups wanted to buy the other out, but had no intention of selling.

Boehly, speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, was asked whether he anticipated the ownership structure still being the same in 2026.

“Listen, I can’t predict the future,” he replied.“If I could I wouldn’t be here talking to you.”

Suggestions of a rift have played into fears of an impasse on making key decisions at the club, with fans staging a protest ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League match against Southampton.

Asked about the protests, Boehly – who was essentially the face of the 2022 takeover – said: “I think it’s par for the course. I think the reality is the sooner you realise you’re not going to keep all of the people happy all of the time, the freedom shows up from that.

“You’re just trying to get on with a plan and execute a plan, and recognising that things aren’t linear, but as long as you’re trending in the right direction you feel better.

“The trend (at Chelsea) is in the right direction and I think that’s the thing that really matters. In June it’ll be three years. That’s not a lot of time.”

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