Chelsea have agreed to sign teenage goalkeeper Mike Penders from Belgian side KRC Genk for a reported £17m.
The Belgium under-19 international becomes the 12th player signed by the Blues this summer, though like Estevan Willian he will not join the club until 2025, instead remaining with Genk this season.
Chelsea have completed the signing of Mike Penders from KRC Genk, with the goalkeeper to officially join from next summer. ✍️🇧🇪
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 27, 2024
Penders made his first-team debut for Genk last month, keeping a clean sheet against Standard Liege shortly before his 19th birthday, becoming the third youngest goalkeeper to debut in Belgium’s top flight.
He has agreed a contract until 2032 at Stamford Bridge.
In addition to Willian, Penders follows Pedro Neto, Tosin Aderabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Filip Jorgensen, Omari Kellyman, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Renato Veiga, Marc Guiu and Joao Felix through the door at Chelsea.
Enzo Maresca can already call on Robert Sanchez, Lucas Bergstrom, Filip Jorgensen, Djordje Petrovic, Marcus Bettinelli and Kepa Arrizabalaga, the world’s most expensive goalkeeper at more than £71m.
In total the Blues have now spent more than £170m on seven keepers since Thibault Courtois moved to Real Madrid in 2018.
