Chelsea transfer news: The Blues’ goalkeeping plan has changed twice since August. Xabi Alonso began his Premier League reign with a 3-2 win at Fulham in which Robert Sánchez made mistakes for both goals, and the Spaniard joined Como on loan soon afterwards. Emiliano Martínez arrived from Aston Villa for a reported £7.5m, only for the 34-year-old to fracture his jaw during the 2-0 win at Everton on 17 October.

Mike Penders, the 21-year-old Belgian who cost £17m from Genk in 2024, has played since, and the evidence is mixed. He punched a corner into his own net during the 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham on October 24, yet he kept a clean sheet against Manchester United and denied Wilson Isidor superbly at Sunderland on Sunday, completing 26 of 30 passes.

Alonso still calls him the club’s goalkeeper of the future, but that 1-0 loss left Chelsea fifth with 16 points from 10 games, outside the top four, with Martínez not yet ready to start. Opta also noted that Chelsea had conceded eight Premier League goals from set-pieces by the Tottenham game, twice any other side’s total.

Why the interest has returned

That uncertainty explains why a familiar name has resurfaced. Transfer Feed reports that Chelsea remain interested in Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, though it cites no source. Fichajes adds Real Madrid and Liverpool to the chase, and TEAMtalk claimed in February that Chelsea would match Brighton’s £50m valuation.

Verbruggen, 24, has 12 clean sheets in 15 appearances for second-placed Brighton, including a 1-0 win at Manchester City, and his contract runs until June 2028. He builds from the back for Fabian Hürzeler, which suits Alonso’s possession-heavy side.

The caveats are important as well. Chelsea scored four past him in August; he made no saves against Brentford last weekend, and TEAMtalk has reported internal doubts about his elite-level experience.

Chelsea transfer news: Should Chelsea pay £50million for Verbruggen when Penders is already there?

Not yet. A fee of that size would put a 21-year-old on notice after a handful of league starts, when Chelsea internally consider him their long-term number one. Waiting also helps financially, because Verbruggen will have one year left on his deal in summer 2027, and Brighton’s price should soften.

Madrid or Liverpool might not wait, which is the real risk, since Martínez, at 34, only offers Chelsea short-term cover. Chelsea should let Penders and Martínez share this season, judge Penders over a full run, and bid only if he stalls. No goalkeeper repairs the set-piece flaw alone.