Robert Sanchez has made more errors leading to goals than any other Premier League goalkeeper, leading to calls for Chelsea to bring in a replacement this month
Chelsea will not be signing a replacement for Robert Sanchez in this month’s transfer window.
Sanchez has endured a difficult time at Stamford Bridge since arriving at the Blues from Brighton in the summer of 2023. Chelsea paid £25million to secure his services, but the Spaniard has struggled to convince.
In fact, he tops the unwanted chart for errors leading to shots (seven) and goals (five). One of those goals came in Saturday’s defeat to Manchester City, in which Sanchez also lost possession 19 times.
His error at the Etihad proved to be critical as the Blues fell to a damaging defeat. It came when he raced off his line in the 68th minute, but he was nowhere near meeting Erling Haaland, allowing the City star to lift a finish high into an unguarded net.
That was the hosts’ second goal following Josko Gvardiol’s equaliser, with Phil Foden adding a late third. Sanchez’s mistake was his second in a week after he failed to catch a cross against Wolves on Monday, allowing the strugglers to briefly draw level.
Despite his awful form, it appears that Chelsea will stick by their under-fire keeper. According to The Times, the Blues are ‘not in the market’ for another shot-stopper, with their focus on attacking reinforcements.
It represents a reprieve for Sanchez, though may also be a decision rooted in managing squad numbers. As well as Sanchez, the Blues’ goalkeeping department also contains Filip Jørgensen, Gabriel Slonina, Marcus Bettinelli and Lucas Bergström, while Kepa is out on loan.
Though he will not be replaced in the transfer market, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has hinted Sanchez could lost his place to Jorgensen for Monday’s clash with West Ham.
He said on Saturday: “We trust Robert for sure but the first one that is completely aware he is making mistakes in this moment is Robert. For sure, we continue to trust Robert. We trust Robert but now we have one entire week, we see the reaction and then we decide for the next game.”
Rather than blaming Sanchez for the defeat to City, Maresca instead pointed to his side’s failure to score a second goal. He added: “We started the game in exactly the way we prepared. We scored the first one, we could have scored the second one in three different chances.
“I think, and I am completely sure, because of the mood and because of the moment, scoring the second one, the game would completely change. Unfortunately we didn’t score the second one.
“The high pressing; you have to be brave in these kinds of games, knowing that if you have to press higher then you leave their best player – which is Haaland – one-v-one against your defender. But I think we dealt, for most parts of the game, quite well.”
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