Chelsea transfer news: Blues to send two more young talents to Strasbourg

Chelsea’s partnership with Strasbourg is already proving to be a smart move, offering a perfect development ground for talented young players who may not yet be ready for first-team football in the Premier League. Now, two more Chelsea prospects are set to head to France, with Strasbourg poised to bring in a new first-choice goalkeeper and a highly regarded Ecuadorian midfielder.

Under the ownership of Todd Boehly’s consortium, Chelsea have strategically used Strasbourg as a development hub — a model similar to their previous links with Vitesse, but on a much larger scale. The approach aligns with Chelsea’s recent transfer policy, which has seen a wave of highly rated young players join the club in recent years.

One of Strasbourg’s standout players last season was Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos, who is now set to join Chelsea’s first team for the 2025-26 campaign. Several other players have either passed through Strasbourg or remain part of Chelsea’s long-term plans, such as Diego Moreira — now permanently at the French club — and striker Emanuel Emegha, who is expected to arrive next year. Defender Malang Sarr also featured at the Club World Cup and will remain with Strasbourg for another season.

Strasbourg strengthen ahead of European campaign

Manager Liam Rosenior has already welcomed a number of new arrivals for the upcoming season. In midfield, Amougou joins to replace Santos in the holding role, while other signings include Oyedele from Legia Warsaw, Soumaila Coulibaly from Borussia Dortmund, goalkeeper Ibrahim Bajic, and Argentinian striker Joaquin Panichelli, who netted 21 goals for Mirandes in the Spanish second division last term.

Chelsea are now set to send two more players to strengthen Strasbourg further. One of the priorities was finding a new starting goalkeeper following Djordje Petrovic’s departure. The Serbian keeper spent last season on loan at Strasbourg but has since joined Bournemouth as their new number one.

Chelsea send Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders on loan

To fill the void, Chelsea will loan Belgian shot-stopper Mike Penders to Strasbourg. The 19-year-old, signed from Genk, enjoyed an impressive campaign in Belgium last season and is now set to become one of the youngest starting goalkeepers in Europe’s top five leagues. With Strasbourg competing in European competitions in 2025-26, this will be a significant test of the teenager’s quality and composure.

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— Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (@RCSA) July 28, 2025

Joining Penders is Ecuadorian attacking midfielder Kendry Paez, who has already been training with both Chelsea and Strasbourg since January. The 18-year-old is considered a generational talent in his home country, and expectations are high for his transition to European football. Chelsea have closely monitored his progress since signing him, and this loan move is seen as a key step in his development. Strasbourg are hoping that Paez can make an immediate impact in Ligue 1 this season.

This article was originally published on Fotbal Portal.