Most saves in La Liga 23/24
©TM/IMAGO
The goalkeeper place at Chelsea has felt fairly unsettled ever since Thibaut Courtois left for Real Madrid in 2018. Before that it was the epitome of consistency with Petr Cech holding the No 1 gauntlet for 11 years. However, since then, it has been a little bit of a merry-go-round within the Chelsea web. The Blues broke the switch file for a keeper in 2018, after they spent €80 million for Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga. A deal that by no means actually labored out culminating in his notorious bust-up with supervisor Maurizio Sarri within the EFL Cup remaining in 2019, the place he refused to be substituted. He nonetheless stays on the membership however is anticipated to depart this summer time, having spent final season on mortgage at Real Madrid. Saudi aspect Al-Ittihad are the present favourites for his signature.
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Then got here Edouard Mendy, who had an outstanding begin, enjoying a key function in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph in 2021, however then light and constant errors led to him shifting on to the Saudi Pro League. Robert Sánchez was introduced in from Brighton for €23m final summer time, solely to lose his place early within the season to the younger Djordje Petrovic, who’s lacking the Blues pre-season tour with an damage, and has truly additionally been linked with a transfer away from Stamford Bridge this summer time. It now seems the West London membership are going again into the marketplace for a shot-stopper and are focusing on 22-year-old Villarreal keeper Filip Jørgensen.
According to switch guru Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are closing in on the Jørgensen deal, with an settlement with Villarreal at its remaining levels. Reportedly Chelsea have improved their proposal after an preliminary bid value €20m, and so they’re now simply discussing the construction of the take care of Villarreal, with Jørgensen himself already agreed on a contract. So who’s the younger Danish goalkeeper? How good has he been in Spain? And will his fashion swimsuit Enzo Maresca’s manner of enjoying? With Transfermarkt’s knowledgeable perception from Spain, we’ve you lined.
Who is Filip Jørgensen and the way good is the goalkeeper?
As you possibly can see within the graphic above, solely Toulouse’s Guillaume Restes performed extra minutes within the high 5 leagues final season from all goalkeepers at present aged 22 or youthful than Jørgensen. The Dane performed 36 of Villarreal’s 38 La Liga matches final marketing campaign. Iván Turmo is Transfermarkt’s Area supervisor in Spain, and believes Jørgensen possesses numerous potential: “At 22, Jørgensen has a bright future ahead of him, as he is one of the youngest starting goalkeepers in the five major leagues.” Discussing his growth and step into Spanish soccer Turmo continues, “The Nordic footballer was trained at Villarreal where he arrived at just 13 years of age.”
Indeed it has been an unorthodox journey up to now for the Dane. Having skilled with Malmo youth in Sweden, he moved over to Spain and hung out with youth sides at Penza Arrabal and Mallorca earlier than shifting to the youth arrange at Villarreal in 2015. And he may have the precise attributes that new boss Maresca is looking for, as Turmo explains, “He is a goalkeeper with great potential and qualities between the posts. His height of 1.9 metres (6’3″), his glorious reflexes and his implausible footwork make Jørgensen a keeper with spectacular qualities.”
It’s been made clear that Maresca favours a keeper with very strong ability to play out with his feet – one of the reasons why Petrovic could potentially be out the door, and Jørgensen possesses just that. However there is more to his game. “In only one season, the goalkeeper made followers neglect about his criticism to turn out to be probably the most essential gamers at Villarreal.” Turmo tells us. “In truth, he completed the season because the goalkeeper with essentially the most saves within the championship with a complete of 143 in 36 video games.” Former Tottenham keeper Paulo Gazzaniga acquired closest to Jørgensen’s 143 saves with 125 – 18 in need of the Dane. He is anticipated to return into rival Sánchez for the No 1 shirt this season, and with time on his aspect at 22, Chelsea shall be hoping to lastly have some long-term safety and stability between the sticks.
