£20.7m Chelsea flop demands to leave – kicking off the club’s fire sale as Xabi Alonso prepares to swing the axe
Chelsea’s hectic summer has started with goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen asking the club to let him leave – and the Blues agreeing to listen to offers.
Jorgensen, who is 24 years old and keen to become a regular starter at a club, will now be clear to explore his options with his representatives. He signed in 2024 for £20.7million from Villarreal on a seven-year contract.
The Denmark international spent much of the last season acting as an understudy to Robert Sanchez, save for a brief spell when former head coach Liam Rosenior decided to try him as his first choice.
That did not go to plan with Jorgensen making mistakes in a 5-2 Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes, which essentially ended their European run.
Filip Jorgensen had a nightmare during a 5-2 hammering away at Paris Saint-Germain in March under Liam Rosenior
Jorgensen also picked up a groin problem immediately after that match as Sanchez returned in goal with his confidence having been somewhat dented by Rosenior.
Jorgensen made just two more appearances before the end of the season – coming off the bench during the 3-1 home defeat by Nottingham Forest on May 4 after Sanchez went off with a head injury, and playing all 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool which followed five days later.
Chelsea would not necessarily need to sign a replacement for Jorgensen as they already have Mike Penders, the 20-year-old who has been on loan at sister club Strasbourg in France.
Penders is expected to be given his chance to impress new manager, Xabi Alonso, starting with this summer’s pre-season tour.
Chelsea travel to Australia for games against Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur before going to to face Juventus in Hong Kong, AC Milan in Indonesia and Johor Darul Ta’zim in Malaysia.
The club’s sporting directorship team have begun working on the squad for the summer after their 2-1 Premier League loss away at Sunderland on the season’s last day confirmed they will have no European football next term.
New boss Alonso has plenty of big decisions to make over those he wants to keep, with the future uncertain for stars including Alejandro Garnacho, Enzo Fernandez, Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella. Club sources insist, though, that Joao Pedro is considered one of their ‘untouchables’ and will not be sold.
The summer transfer window will open on Monday June 15, and closes at 11pm on Tuesday September 1.
