Chelsea have been busy in the summer transfer window. Enzo Maresca has named several of his requirements and a squad rebuild is ongoing.
The Blues have reinforced all of the positions, bringing in several players. Marc Guiu(CF), Renato Viega(DMF), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall(CMF) and Tosin Adarabioyo(CB) are among the notable names who have come Stamford bridge.
Maresca has now turned his attention towards the goalkeeper position. Chelsea have signed two goalkeepers for a combined total of 35M in the last summer, namely Robert Sanchez and Dorde Petrovic. The Serbian replaced Sanchez as the starting goalkeeper last season under then head coach Mauricio Pochettino. He had an impressive run and provided several match-winning saves.
However the 26yo Spanish keeper has reclaimed his position in the starting 11 this summer, under Enzo Maresca. Petrovic was not included in the pre-season tour squad. This hints towards a potential departure of the former New England player.
Enzo Maresca wants new goalkeeper to fit his style of play
Petrovic was a dependable shot stopper but he was not good with his feet. Enzo Maresca’s possession style of play requires a good ball playing gk who can start plays from the backline and has good distribution.
Sanchez fits that profile but is very prone to making mistakes under pressure. His unconvincing performance and horrible mess versus the Gunners saw Declan Rice score and initiate the comeback from being 2-0 down. Arsenal went on to draw the match.
Chelsea’s search for a goalkeeper has come to an end. The recruitment staff have identified Villareal’s Filip Jorgensen as the ideal fit for Maresca’s system. He ticks all the boxes required by any modern day goalie.
How good is Filip Jorgensen?
Jorgensen rose through the youth ranks at Villareal. He made his first senior appearance in 2021-22 season. Till then he has been in an upward trajectory of growth. His shot stopping qualities and ability to distribute the ball from the back have earned him praise from analysts and potential suitors who want to secure his services.
According to Fbref, the Swedish goalkeeper started 36 matches and made 143 saves. He has a save percentage of 72% and acquired 6 clean sheets. Jorgensen ranks 13th in save percentage in La Liga. These are decent numbers considering he faced the highest shots on target among other goalkeepers in La liga. His shot stopping abilities are certainly not the best but he is a young goalkeeper and has room for improvement.
Chelsea have been vulnerable to crosses last season. A goalkeeper with good aerial strength is a priority for them. Standing at 190 cm, Jorgensen has good reach and an imposing presence in the penalty box. He faced 650 crosses and has a cross-stopping percentage of 5.2. While the numbers are not really great he has faced a ridiculous number of crosses. He ranked among other goalkeepers from La Liga in aerial dominance.
The most exciting aspect of his play that appeals to Enzo Maresca is his in game distribution. He has a spectacular pass completion rate of 80.7 %. He completed 1052 out of his attempted 1303 passes.
Chelsea have acquired an exciting talent
The blues have continued their policy of signing young talents. Jorgensen is only 22 years of age. Several areas of the Swedish international are not up to the mark and needs to be worked on. Considering his age, Jorgensen is still young and will mature into a great goalkeeper in the future. Chelsea will need to manage him and bring the best out of him to maintain his upward career trajectory.
It will be exciting to see how the squad transforms with the addition of these new and exciting prospects.
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