Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
If you had told Mike Penders at the start of the summer that Chelsea would offload Robert Sanchez on loan, he will have grown excited. But the signing of Emi Martinez was not expected.
Chelsea have strengthened in the goalkeeping department with the addition of Martinez. The £7.5m deal for Martinez was voted the best Premier League signing of the summer out of 154 deals by The Athletic.
Mike Penders and Robert Sanchez at Chelsea
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With no European football on offer, Penders is set to become Chelsea’s Cup goalkeeper. The FA Cup and the Carabao Cup look set to be the ceiling for Penders this season, and probably beyond this season, too.
It was a show of faith to offload Sanchez instead of Penders, keeping the Belgian as Alonso’s no.2. But Penders has to be realistic; Martinez has not just joined for one season – he’s joined for two or three.
Belgium dream is already going up in smoke for Mike Penders
Sitting on the bench and playing, possibly, 10 or 15 games a season will not do Penders any favours when it comes to the Belgium National Team. Penders has long been earmarked to replace Thibaut Courtois.
Chelsea v Luton Town - Carabao Cup Second Round
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But to do that, he needs to do what Courtois did, and become Chelsea’s no.1. With Martinez in place, that now seems unlikely for at least the next two seasons. Liverpool’s business on deadline day won’t help.
Liverpool’s £30m deadline day deal will have Penders worried
Penders came through the Genk academy, playing 25 times for the Belgian side before his loan move to Strasbourg. Now, Lucca Brughmans is the next off Genk’s impressive conveyor belt of goalkeeping talent.
Liverpool have moved early. After just 13 senior Genk outings, Liverpool have splashed £30m on the teen talent. He’s gone back to Genk for the season, but Brughmans is already breathing down Penders’ neck.
Liverpool FC Unveil New Signing Lucca Brughmans
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With Senne Lammens likely to have overtaken Penders after starring as Man United’s no.1, Penders has to make a decision quickly. His Belgium dream is fading and will evaporate if he remains on the bench.
Emi Martinez move is ultimately bad news for Penders
When Sanchez was at fault for both of Fulham’s goals, Penders will have been secretly delighted. His chances of becoming Chelsea’s no.1 improved dramatically, before they vanished with Martinez’s arrival.
Chelsea FC v Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League 2026/27
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Couple that with Brughmans’ arrival and Lammens’ form at Old Trafford, and Penders needs a move. Especially if Chelsea fail to get into Europe for the 2027-28 campaign. Even then, Martinez may start.
With everything going on, Penders needs to start games to overtake Courtois as Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper, and with Martinez signing, rivals like Broughmans and Lammens will overtake him.