Belgian goalkeeping sensation Mike Penders is all set to hold talks with Chelsea regarding his future at the club.
According to Het Belang van Limburg via SportWitness, Mike Penders will soon sit for showdown talks with Chelsea. The teenager who is having another impressive season in the Jupiler Pro League has suggested that he remains open to all possibilities heading into the summer.
When asked about his future during an interview with HBVL, Penders said, “All options are still open. First, the full focus will be on the play-offs, then we will sit around the table.”
Penders has been a part of the KRC Genk setup since 2018. He went up the ranks at some pace and got promoted to their first team in the summer of 2023. His impressive performances at the youth level and his massive potential resulted in a lot of interest from across Europe last summer.
Eventually, Chelsea managed to win the race for his services. But since he wasn’t yet ready to be involved in their first team, they decided to let him continue at Genk on loan for another 12 months.
The 19-year-old has worked his way into their first team. While he was a backup keeper for the majority of the season, he has been a regular of late, thanks to his hard work. He has featured in a total of 11 league games and is their preferred option in goal in the playoffs.
Where will Mike Penders play next season?
His performances have impressed people at the Belgian club, and they are pushing to keep him for another season. The report suggests that he could end up extending his loan spell. Genk’s technical director, Dimitri De Condé, has talked about their desire to have him around for another 12 months. But he did mention the fact that it will depend on Chelsea.
While the player is open to all possibilities, it will be interesting to see if Chelsea are willing to let him stay in Belgium for another season. Their goalkeeping scout Ross Turnbull was recently spotted in the stands of Genk’s home stadium to watch the teenager live in action as they look to make a decision on his future.
Meanwhile, their goalkeeping co-ordinator, Ben Roberts, has been in constant contact with him, helping him evaluate his performances. While Chelsea do consider him an important part of their long-term plans, it will be interesting to see if they want him to be in their first-team squad next season.
As things stand, the Blues are on the lookout for a new shot-stopper, as they are not convinced that Robert Sánchez or Filip Jörgensen could be their number one going forward. The future of the duo might have a big say on where Penders will be playing next season.
