Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca sanctioned Djordje Petrovic’s loan move to Strasbourg (Image: GETTY)
Chelsea have suffered a series of goalkeeping woes this season, with recently forced to drop Robert Sanchez in favour of Filip Jorgensen due to the Spaniard’s erratic form.
But Jorgensen has been far from effective in between the posts, with the former Villarreal shot-stopper conceding a hatful of goals when called upon.
had a string of goalkeepers at Stamford Bridge last summer as Maresca prepared for his maiden season at the helm.
And the Italian could have avoided his goalkeeping torment if only he had decided to keep Djordje Petrovic in west London instead of shipping him out on loan to Strasbourg.
Petrovic joined from MLS side New England in the summer of 2023 and started 22 Premier League matches under last season after usurping Sanchez as the Blues’ No. 1.
But Sanchez was reinstated to the starting line-up when Maresca succeeded Pochettino as Petrovic made the move to Ligue 1.
Petrovic has been a revelation in France and was named man of the match on Sunday as Strasbourg held Brest to a 0-0 draw. It was the 25-year-old’s third clean sheet in a row as Strasbourg ended the weekend in seventh position in the Ligue 1 table.
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Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has impressed during his loan spell with Strasbourg (Image: GETTY)
Incredibly, Petrovic is yet to make any errors that have led to either a shot or a goal, despite playing more passes than any goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues.
And in January, Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior even insisted: “We have seen huge progress from Petro. He is a world-class goalkeeper. We see it every day and it is still paying off today.”
Petrovic will return to England at the end of the campaign, with his contract at Stamford Bridge running until 2030.
And Maresca will surely give the Denmark under-21s international the opportunity to stake his claim for a regular starting place unless he opts to shell out mega money on a new shot-stopper.
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Ahead of their clash with Southampton on Tuesday night, had conceded 36 goals in 26 Premier League encounters.
But it is the manner of some of those goals that will concern Maresca the most, with Sanchez against last month before he was dropped.
And the boss may no longer believe his own words, with the Italian insisting in the aftermath of the 3-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium: “We trust Robert, for sure. But in the same moment, as I said, the first one who is completely aware he’s making a mistake is Robert.”