- Chelsea continue to target young and emerging talent
- Villarreal's Filip Jorgensen considered to strengthen in goal
- Blues have already signed several developing players
Chelsea are reported to have made an approach for Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, another notch in their project of accumulating young and developing talent.
Jorgensen only turned 22 in April and 2023/24 was his maiden season as Villarreal number one, helping the Spanish side to an eighth place finish in La Liga.
The Athletic writes that an "initial inquiry" has gone in, with the Denmark Under-21 international considered one possible target to strengthen the goalkeeping department long-term. Jorgensen is viewed as someone who specifically fits Enzo Maresca's system because of his ability with the ball at his feet.
Jorgensen signed a new five-year contract with Villarreal as recently as last month. Reports claim his deal includes a release clause worth €40m (£33.6m).
Chelsea spent £40m last summer recruiting both Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic, having bid farewell to Edouard Mendy and making Kepa Arrizabalaga available for loan. But the Blues have still lacked solidity between the sticks and Kepa is not expected to stick around.
Sanchez is believed to have moved back ahead of Petrovic in the pecking order following Maresca's arrival, with the latter potentially available for transfer if a new face arrives.
Transfer links with Valencia's Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was on the radar even before a hugely impressive Euro 2024, and Burnley's James Trafford also emerged earlier this summer.
Born in Sweden, Jorgensen spent much of his early youth career at Malmo but wound up spending a time in Spain from the age of 12, briefly returning to Malmo but then permanently relocating to the Mediterranean when he joined Mallorca’s youth ranks in 2016. He switched to Villarreal a year later.
A concerted effort has been made at Chelsea over the past two seasons to target young players. Very few of the first-team squad are older than 25, with summer arrivals Omari Kellyman, Marc Guiu and Caleb Wiley all still teenagers. Similarly, Renato Veiga is only 20.
