one and done: marcus bettinelli leaves chelsea with a solitary competitive appearance to his name
Chelsea Football Newsletter
He will fill the shoes of Scott Carson after the 39-year-old’s departure was confirmed on Monday. He will depart as a free agent when his contract expires at the end of June, ending a four-year spell with the club.
Bettinelli made one appearance in his four-year stay at Chelsea, a 5-1 FA Cup win over non-league side Chesterfield. He served as the third-choice keeper for most of his stay.
He was a popular figure in the dressing room at Stamford Bridge, with Enzo Maresca recognising him as a senior figure in the squad.
Despite spending little time on pitch, he has collected winner’s medals in both the 2024-25 Conference League and 2021 Club World Cup
“It’s an honour to sign for City,” Bettinelli declared on arrival at the Etihad. “I can’t wait to work with Guardiola, Xabi Mancisidor and the excellent goalkeepers already here and see their methods up close.
“Hopefully I can contribute in training, the dressing room and on the pitch as we look to win more silverware over the next year.”
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Bettinelli is working on completing his UEFA coaching badges and is now afforded the chance to learn the trade from Guardiola, one of the most successful managers in the modern game.
He follows Wolves full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri in moving to the Etihad, with Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki also expected to join the club this summer.
Bettinelli spent 11 years with Fulham prior to joining Chelsea, serving loan spells at Dartford, Accrington Stanley, and Middlesbrough before moving across West London.
Chelsea bid Bettinelli farewell in a statement and wished him well ahead of his next challenge, also thanking him for his involvement in the Chelsea Foundation’s projects, for which he was this year named ‘PFA Community Champion’.
He could soon face his former club at the Club World Cup, where Chelsea and City have been drawn into separate groups but may meet in the knockout stages.