Football
Exclusive: New Chelsea Boss Liam Rosenior Urges Blues Hierarchy to Give Shot-Stopper Mike Penders a Chance to Impress at Stamford Bridge
New Chelsea Boss Liam Rosenior urges the Chelsea hierarchy to give goalkeeper Mike Penders a chance to impress at Stamford Bridge. Rated as one of Europe's most promising goalkeepers, Penders has impressed with his distribution and maturity. Rosenior believes Penders should compete for the number one role, with doubts surrounding other goalkeepers at the club.
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Liam Rosenior, Chelsea’s new head coach, has urged Stamford Bridge’s hierarchy to offer Mike Penders a chance to stake a claim for a starting role at the club, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
Aged 20, the Belgian joined Strasbourg on loan from The Blues at the beginning of the season, where he worked closely with the former Hull City chief who recently left the Stade de la Meinau to take charge in west London.
Rated as one of the most promising goalkeepers in Europe, Penders is known to have impressed Rosenior with both his talent and maturity behind the scenes during their time together in France.
But it is the youngster’s ability with his feet which made him an integral part of the team Rosenior turned into regular top six contenders after inheriting a squad used to fighting relegation.
Penders, who has made 23 appearances for Strasbourg since being dispatched to Chelsea’s sister club, has won an army of admirers for his distribution and calmness in possession this term, frequently emerging as the instigator of Strasbourg’s attacks.
Rosenior has already outlined his January transfer demands to Chelsea’s board, with Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton identified as his top priority, while former Liverpool man Tyler Morton has been lined up as the primary alternative should Wharton prove too costly.
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With Rosenior intent on playing a possession based game with a purpose after being appointed as Enzo Maresca’s successor, that has prompted the 41-year-old to implore The Blues’ hierarchy not to loan Penders out again when his temporary deal in Alsace expires, particularly given the on-going doubts about Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen reportedly growing unsettled after failing to dislodge the Spaniard.
If Jorgensen does leave, then Rosenior envisages Penders and Sanchez competing for the number one role.
Capped three times by his country at under-21 level, Penders joined Chelsea from Genk two years ago but delayed his switch to England for another 12 months.
He is under contract with Rosenior’s employers until 2032, with the length of that agreement underlining their faith in him and status as a star of the future.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.