Chelsea are “closing in” on a deal to sign New England Revolution goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, according to the Evening Standard.
The Blues are expected to pay £11.8m for the Serbian international, who will come in to provide backup for current number one Robert Sanchez. Some fans on X are happy about Petrovic‘s potential arrival but others have questioned why the club are obsessed with recruiting young players:
He has insane stats, hope he's him fr coz sanchez is not it
— chelsea official (@raider254g) August 21, 2023
Every position but a striker
— Nathan (@CFCChads) August 21, 2023
Never watched him but I can already say he’s better than Sanchez
— P (@ForeverBlue_07) August 21, 2023
Great. Now how about some wingers?
— Fareed (@CFC_Fareed) August 21, 2023
Better than Sanchez
— Avroneel Biswas (@AvroneelBiswas) August 21, 2023
We need a goal scorer or someone to play with Jackson. Sterling been doing ok but not known for he’s goals
— danny g cfc (@dannygcfc1) August 21, 2023
Can’t be worse than Sanchez
— Jay 🏴 (@CFC_Jay_7) August 21, 2023
Does he score goals?
— Los pollos Fernandez (@LosPollosEnzo) August 21, 2023
Petrovic could end up as Chelsea’s no.1 very soon
While the 23-year-old is expected to be Sanchez’s understudy initially, that may not last for too long if the Spaniard doesn’t improve on his early season form.
Across his first two games in goal, Sanchez has a -0.5 score if you compare his post-shot xG with the goals he has actually conceded, while he has an abysmal 57.1% save percentage.
It is still very early days, of course, but those numbers will have to improve sooner rather than later, or manager Mauricio Pochettino will be forced into dropping him.
Chelsea have made 11 signings so far this summer
Petrovic would be the Blues’s 12th signing since the end of last season incredibly, with the club having recruited eight senior players in Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Axel Disasi, Lesley Ugochukwu, Angelo and Sanchez.
Three more have also joined the development squad with Ishe-Samuels-Smith, Alex Matos and Diego Moreira having arrived at Cobham.
