HBVL in Belgium are today adding fresh details to the reports that Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Mike Penders, the Genk goalkeeper.
The source says that Chelsea have reached a “verbal agreement” with the Belgian club over the transfer of the youngster, who turned 19 yesterday.
Part of this deal will involve loaning Penders back to Genk, where he’s just broken into the first team. It’s a little risky, as they will be thinking about their own future, and perhaps won’t be as inclined to play a teenager they know is leaving them. Hopefully, in much the same way we’ve seen with the deal for Estevao Willian from Brazil, there are incentives in there based on what he does this year.
HBVL stress that the transfer “still requires a lot of paperwork before everything can be officially communicated,” but once there’s an agreement over the fee, the structure of the deal and personal terms, we don’t expect any of the admin to cause an issue.
Given he’s staying on loan with Genk for this season and possibly beyond, there’s certainly no rush to get it done.
A talent – but a long way from the first team
It’s all rather odd given Chelsea signed Filip Jorgensen this week, and Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic a year ago, and Gabriel Slonina a year before that. But at least Penders does sound at least like a top prospect, and the €10m or so being spoken about is worth a punt if he comes close to that potential.
We will be keeping an eye on him on loan for the next season or more – but it could be a few years before he’s experienced and ready enough to start for Chelsea in the Premier League.
