- Chelsea have officially completed the signing of Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez from Brighton & Hove Albion
- Sanchez will provide cover and competition for fellow Spain international Kepa Arrizabalaga, following the exit of Edouard Mendy
Chelsea have officially completed the signing of Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez from Brighton & Hove Albion. The Blues will pay a total of £25 million, with the fee being inclusive of add-ons and a sell-on clause.
Sanchez, who made 23 appearances for Brighton last season, has signed a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge. He will provide cover and competition for fellow Spain international Kepa Arrizabalaga, following the exit of Edouard Mendy. The Senegal international moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in June.
Chelsea have signed Robert Sanchez from Brighton. Photo/ TEAMtalk.
Upon his 25 million switch, Sanchez said joining Chelsea was the best choice that he could have picked at this point of his career.
“Choosing Chelsea was the best choice that I could have picked because of the opportunities that they have presented in front of me is amazing to develop more as a goalkeeper, learning and to compete for the spot and show everybody how good I can be.” Sanchez told Chelsea in his first interview, as per Football.london.
Roberto Sanchez began his football career as a small boy playing for the youth teams of Escuela de Futbol de Santa Ana, Cartagena FC, Ciudad Jardin and Levante. After turning 15, he left his homeland of Spain and joined English side Brighton.
Sanchez spent five years at the club’s academy before making his senior debut in 2018. He enjoyed loan spells at Forest Green Rovers and Rochdale before establishing himself as Brighton’s goalkeeper during the 2020-21 season. The Spain international made his Premier League debut for Brighton in a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in November 2020.
Sanchez found himself as the No. 2 goalkeeper at Brighton last season when Roberto De Zebri began preferring Jason Steele over him. He was left out of Brighton’s squad on a number of occasions towards the end of last season and didn’t travel with the rest of the team to their pre-season tour.
Robert Sanchez officially joins Chelsea after making 87 Premier League appearances for Brighton. With the Seagulls, Sanchez built a reputation as a fine shot-stopper and a goalkeeper comfortable at building possession and starting attacks.
During the 2021-22 season, the Spain international helped Brighton keep 11 top-flight clean sheets, a club-record in a single Premier League campaign. Last season, he played a significant role as Brighton reached the FA Cup semi-finals, keeping a clean sheet in the quarter-finals and the semis itself. The semi-final clash, which was against Manchester United, was Sanchez’s final match for Brighton last season.
Robert Sanchez made 87 Premier League appearances for Brighton. Photo/ Sussex Express.
At Chelsea, the 25-year-old will reunite with his former goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts. Sanchez is the seventh signing Chelsea have made this summer transfer window, following the arrival of Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Oguchukwu, Angelo and Diego Moreira.
There have also been several high-profile departures from Chelsea this summer. Apart from Edouard Mendy, other top players who have left Chelsea include Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Kalidou Koulibaly, Mateo Kovacic, Christian Pulisic, N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
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