According to a report from HLN, Mike Penders is expected to continue at Chelsea for now, as the London club have decided against sending him out on loan again. KRC Genk were keen on having him back in their squad, but they have suffered a major blow following the Blues’ decision.
Penders joined Genk’s youth setup back in 2018. He went up the ranks at some pace and got promoted to their first team in the summer of 2023. On the back of an impressive debut campaign and his sensational rise, Chelsea secured his services last summer.
While the Blues did strike a deal for him, they decided to let him continue at the Belgian club for another season on loan. He was involved in a total of 35 matches across competitions and even bagged nine clean sheets.
He joined the Chelsea squad for the ongoing Club World Cup. While he is yet to make his debut, the 19-year-old has impressed people at the club with his performances in training. They are quite happy with the investment they have made in the Belgian youth international.
Penders is certainly not ready to have an important role in Enzo Maresca’s squad, but they are not really considering sending him out on loan again. Genk are actively looking to sign a new goalkeeper, and they did hold talks with Chelsea about having the teenager on loan for another season.
However, the Blues have made it clear that he will not return to Limburg. They are not actively looking to send him out on another loan. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he will stay at Stamford Bridge for the 2025/26 season, as remaining there would likely see him serve as the third-choice goalkeeper, a scenario that could hinder his development.
While Chelsea do not want to send him out on loan, they can certainly make an exception for sister club RC Strasbourg if they are in need of a new shot-stopper.
