Chelsea are set to make a number of signings this summer under new head coach Xabi Alonso, who is expected to be given the backing to make significant changes to the squad
Xabi Alonso during his time at Real Madrid
Xabi Alonso will have a decision to make over two Chelsea players(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Chelsea are plotting to bring young goalkeeper Mike Penders into the first-team fold under Xabi Alonso next season, according to football.london.
The 20 year old shot-stopper left a lasting impression during his loan spell at Strasbourg, also under the BlueCo umbrella, and is now poised to be handed an opportunity in the senior set-up at Stamford Bridge. Robert Sanchez currently holds the No.1 jersey, with Filip Jorgensen serving as his deputy.
However, sources reveal that Jorgensen held a face-to-face meeting with Chelsea recently to thrash out his future. The Danish goalkeeper, who joined for just north of £20million from Villarreal in the summer of 2024, has made clear to the club that he intends to move on in the coming months in search of regular first-team football.
The 24-year-old informed Chelsea's head of global goalkeeping Ben Roberts, who is also set to have a role under Alonso, that he needs consistent game time and that departing west London is the most viable route to achieving that. Jorgensen featured just 12 times for the Blues throughout the entire 2025/26 campaign and has earned a call-up with Denmark ahead of the forthcoming World Cup.
Alonso will face a straight choice between Sanchez and Penders during his debut season with the club. The Spanish boss is expected to wield considerably more influence over transfer dealings this summer than his recent predecessors enjoyed.
Robert Sanchez
Xabi Alonso will have a decision to make ove Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez(Image: Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, Chelsea will be targeting a centre-back, midfielder and a left-sided winger this summer. Other areas of the squad could also come under scrutiny in order to give Alonso the necessary tools to compete in his debut season at the Bridge.
With Alonso coming in, the Blues will be desperate to improve on a dour 10th-place finish this season. They ended the campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland, a result that ended their European ambitions.
Speaking after the loss at the Stadium of Light, interim head coach Calum McFarlane spoke about his disappointment for failing to give the supporters at least some sort of European football next season.
"We're as disappointed as them," McFarlane said. "We're gutted that we couldn't do it for them, they've been brilliant this year. They've really supported us, especially in the last couple of weeks, when we've needed to win games. We felt their presence and unfortunately we've let them down. We weren't able to put the performance in that they deserve."
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