Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is one of a number of players who will not be stepping onto the plane to America for the Club World Cup.
The Blues will travel to the USA on Friday, 13th June, ahead of their opening game in the tournament on Monday, 16 June against Los Angeles FC.
Petrovic is the most notable name reported by Matt Law to have been left out of Chelsea’s squad for the revamped competition. Other names include Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi and João Félix.
This decision, alongside the club’s pursuit of AC Milan and France’s first-choice goalkeeper Mike Maignan, may raise doubts about the Serbian’s future at SW6.
Why Chelsea made this decision
According to reports from Matt Law, Chelsea have the view that the Club World Cup is an extension to their 24/25 season.
This has led them to the decision that players who have spent the season out on loan will not be included in the squad as the club desires continuity for this tournament.
The only exception to this is Petrovic’s teammate this season, Andrey Santos. The Brazilian who impressed throughout his time in France will be joining up with the squad ahead of the competition.
The Blues will also be taking their new signings with them, however, as Matt Law reports that Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr are all confirmed to be in the squad.
Goalkeeper Mike Penders, who Chelsea signed from Genk a year ago, is also travelling for the tournament.
Petrovic’s 24/25 Season
Petrovic enjoyed a very successful 24/25 campaign with Chelsea’s sister club, RC Strasbourg, which saw him play a crucial role in clinching European football for the French side as they qualified for the UEFA Conference League.
The 25-year-old was praised by Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior and became a fan favourite, so much so that he was voted as the club’s player of the season.
The Serbian made 31 appearances in Ligue 1 throughout the 24/25 campaign, achieving 10 clean sheets in this time with a save percentage of 78.9%.
His best period at the club came in a run of four clean sheets in a row. In the last of these four matches, he made five saves to keep the streak alive.
After such a successful season in France, Petrovic’s omission from the squad will certainly provide the biggest surprise to fans out of all the exclusions.
Chelsea’s Goalkeeper Situation
Despite Petrovic being left out of the squad, Chelsea will still have three goalkeepers travelling with them, as Robert Sanchez and Filip Jörgensen join Mike Penders in the squad.
Sanchez spent the majority of the 24/25 season as Chelsea’s number one in the Premier League, whilst Jörgensen had the responsibilities of cup competitions, including the Conference League final.
However, the attempt to sign Maignan in this one-week transfer window suggests that the Blues still are not completely satisfied with their goalkeeping options.
Despite this, reports that came out after the collapse in the deal stated that the club retained full trust in their current cohort of keepers.
It seems like the Serbian will have a lot to do if he wants to become the club’s first-choice goalkeeper ahead of the current pair of first-team keepers and one for the future in Mike Penders.