On Wednesday, we covered multiple claims from Belgium that Chelsea have offered €20m to KRC Genk to sign Mike Penders this summer. It was also said the Jupiler Pro League side couldn’t reject the Blues’ proposal for the goalkeeper.
The Blues tabled the proposal days after the 19-year-old made his first team debut last weekend.
Thursday’s edition of Het Belang van Limburg claims Chelsea have reached a ‘verbal agreement’ with Genk over signing Penders.
The newspaper states the deal is ‘almost complete’ and it’s now in the hands of lawyers of both clubs. There’s still a ‘lot of paperwork’ that needs sorting out before the stopper’s transfer to the west London club is made official.
Enzo Maresca’s side will allow Pendres to return to the Belgian club on loan next season, so that he can continue his development.
Genk have produced multiple top quality goalkeepers, including former Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois. Penders is the latest player to emerge from the club. HBVL interviewed their goalkeeping coach, Guy Martens, to find out Genk’s ‘secret’.
“We notice that foreign teams often look at us. It makes it easy for us to convince young goalkeepers to sign for our club. They know that we provide the right training,” he said.
“We often receive requests from abroad to visit us and when we visit other teams ourselves, we are always welcomed with open arms. They are happy that they can learn from us.”
When pressed further on what they do, Martens explained: “We opt for quality, with our goalkeepers and our goalkeeping coaches. We train them all with the same philosophy. We also safeguard that vision.
“Tactics, technique, physical, mental: it’s about so much. In general, we continue to work with the same goalkeeper coaches as much as possible. Continuity is important. From the moment that vision comes to fruition, you know that the entire club will support it. Although we naturally also supplement our vision with new developments. Our training is constantly evolving.”
