Something’s got to give.
Chelsea’s goalkeepers—Robert Sánchez and Filip Jorgensen—have misfired repeatedly. Sánchez, once brought in from Brighton, has struggled to deliver quality with his feet and has costly errors under pressure.
Jorgensen steps up, only to wobble under scrutiny. Maresca’s search for a reliable No. 1 is urgent. Enter Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen.
The Dutchman, standing 1.93 m tall and aged 22, boasts strong Premier League minutes and clean-sheet ability that belie Brighton’s shaky defense. He’s smart on the ball—a core requirement for Chelsea’s buildup play—and shows composure rare for his years
GiveMeSport places him at the top of Chelsea’s shortlist for the summer window. Sources say Brighton will demand at least £50 million to consider the deal.
At stake: replacing Sánchez, selling off one of Chelsea’s current keepers, and finally stabilizing the post of goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge.
Notably, Chelsea and Brighton have done business recently—Sánchez, Moisés Caicedo, Marc Cucurella—so familiarity could smooth negotiations.
Still, Brighton are set on keeping their man and demanding a “massive” fee, per a trusted scout as reported on The Chelsea news, suggesting Chelsea will need to overpay yet again for another Seagulls export.
But make no mistake: this isn’t confirmed. Behind closed doors, Chelsea insiders still hedge, reluctant to sanction another big-budget keeper purchase when there’s internal depth.
Despite that, urgency and failures have a momentum of their own. If Chelsea fail again between the sticks, expect them to act.
Maresca’s winter patience may fade. Summer could bring clarity—or chaos.