FRIGHTENING POTENTIAL? WHAT LIAM ROSENIOR REALLY THINKS ABOUT MIKE PENDERS’ FUTURE AT CHELSEA
Chelsea's goalkeeper shock: Get the stats on Penders’ record-breaking distribution and Rosenior’s 2026 starting XI plans
New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior is already eyeing one of his old Strasbourg players as he plans his squad for next season.
Chelsea and Strasbourg have gotten pretty close lately since they’re both part of the BlueCo group. That connection only grew after Rosenior took over at Chelsea this winter, having spent a year and a half in charge of the French side.
It’s common for managers to bring familiar faces with them, and with the tight relationship between the clubs, moving a player from Strasbourg to Chelsea shouldn’t be complicated.
Rosenior’s already made moves; he brought Mamadou Sarr back from his loan at Chelsea during the January transfer window. He’ll also get to work with striker Emanuel Emegha again next season, since that transfer was wrapped up last summer. But now, Rosenior reportedly has his eyes on another Strasbourg player.
Mike Penders stands out at Strasbourg.
French outlet L’Equipe reports that Rosenior is keeping a close watch on goalkeeper Mike Penders.
Penders, just 20, is on loan at Strasbourg from Chelsea. He’s the team’s first-choice keeper and is having a standout season: 33 appearances, 39 goals allowed, and nine clean sheets.
The real change? His distribution. Under Rosenior, Penders has become almost like an extra outfield player. L’Equipe points out that no one in Ligue 1 touches the ball more in open play; he averages 43 touches a match. He also completes more passes than any other goalkeeper, with 31.8 per game. That’s well ahead of Paris FC’s Obed Nkambadio, who’s second with 24.9.
Rosenior’s plan for Penders at Chelsea
Rosenior wants a goalkeeper like Penders at Chelsea. Back at Strasbourg, he didn’t hide his admiration: “He’s 20, he’s two metres tall, he makes superb saves. He’s got authority in the box, and his distribution is exceptional. His potential is almost frightening, but he needs to stay humble.”
With Penders set to return to London when his loan ends this summer, he could well become Chelsea’s new first-choice keeper.
Honestly, it makes sense. Chelsea have been searching for a new goalkeeper for months; they even tried to sign Mike Maignan not long ago. But according to L’Equipe, Rosenior is ready to count on Penders next season.
REVENUE REALITY CHECK: HOW CHELSEA FELL £235M BEHIND MANCHESTER CITY’S FINANCIAL LEAD
Chelsea's £511M revenue vs City's £746M: Discover the truth behind the Blues' massive operating costs and wage bill surge today.
Uefa’s numbers make it pretty clear: Chelsea’s overall revenue trails behind some of their biggest Premier League rivals. Last year, the Blues brought in £511 million. Compare that to Manchester City’s £746 million or Liverpool’s £744 million, and you see the gap.
So, where’s Chelsea falling short? Let’s start with ticket sales. Even though their ticket income ranks ninth in Europe, it’s still £28 million less than Liverpool’s, who sit just ahead of them. On average, Chelsea made £1.2 million less per matchday than Liverpool, too. The main reason? Stamford Bridge just doesn’t hold as many fans. With a capacity of 41,798, it’s only the 11th biggest stadium in the Premier League. That’s tiny next to Old Trafford, which can seat 34,000 more people.
Commercial revenue is another weak spot. Chelsea pulled in £207 million from sponsorships and partnerships last year, putting them 11th in Europe. That’s £5 million less than the year before, and it leaves them £66 million behind Tottenham and a whopping £165 million behind Manchester City, who lead the pack in England.
Merchandising and kit sales aren’t much better. Chelsea made £83 million from shirts and other merchandise, no gain from the previous year. That’s £46 million less than Spurs and £82 million less than Manchester United, who top the list.
One area where Chelsea did stand out was broadcast revenue. Their run in the FIFA Club World Cup helped boost them to £192 million in TV income, second only to Manchester City in Europe.
But then there’s the spending. Chelsea’s wage bill hit £388 million, the sixth-highest in Europe and £43 million more than the year before. Only Liverpool and Manchester City spent more on player wages in England, with Liverpool’s total pushed up by bonuses for winning the Premier League.
The club employs more full-time staff (excluding players) than anyone else in England: 1,169 people. Operating costs like utilities, transport, insurance, marketing, and admin shot up to £240 million from £159 million, putting Chelsea fifth in Europe for these expenses.
And then there’s the cost of assembling the team. UEFA calls Chelsea’s squad the most expensive in football history, valued at £1.52 billion, up 5% from the year before. To manage these huge transfer outlays, Chelsea signs many players to long-term contracts, spreading the cost over several years to ease the hit on annual accounts.
But UEFA points out that this strategy is hitting English clubs’ profits. Those deferred transfer payments, which accountants call amortisation, keep piling up as costs on the books each year, making losses even worse.
The report doesn’t spell out exactly where the losses come from, but the clues are all there.
WHY CHELSEA ARE BETTING ON LIAM DELAP’S LONG-TERM STAMFORD BRIDGE FUTURE
Not for sale: Discover why Chelsea is blocking Everton's move for Liam Delap and Rosenior's plans for the Arsenal derby.
Chelsea have some thinking to do about Liam Delap’s future at Stamford Bridge this summer. They really don’t want to let him go, even though Everton are sniffing around, according to Football Insider. The club just isn’t interested in selling; they want Delap around for next season. He’s signed until June 2031, so there’s no rush.
Right now, Chelsea sits fifth in the Premier League after 27 games. They’re just ahead of Liverpool on goal difference. Last time out, they drew 1-1 at home with Burnley. Not exactly the result they wanted.
Chelsea only picked up Delap from Ipswich Town last year. He was brought in to give their attack a boost, add some competition, and deepen the squad up front. The 23-year-old has played 25 times in all competitions this season, with 18 league appearances. He’s only managed two goals and four assists so far – not exactly lighting it up – but there’s still time for him to find his feet.
Delap’s taken the long road already. He started at Derby County, then joined Manchester City’s youth setup in 2019. He only made six first-team appearances for City, but he got loan moves to Stoke, Preston, and Hull in the Championship to toughen up and get more minutes. Ipswich signed him permanently in 2024, and then Chelsea came calling.
So, what’s next after that frustrating draw with Burnley? Chelsea have to head to the Emirates to face Arsenal this weekend. After the Burnley game, Liam Rosenior didn’t mince words. He said, “We’ve basically thrown away four points in two home games. That’s not good enough for a club like this. It’s not enough to just play well; we have to win. I know what needs to change, and we’ll work on it this week. Every game is an inquest, win or lose. I’m learning which players you can rely on when things get tough, and we need to fix that fast.”
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