Why Did Chelsea Invest £14 Million in Signing Petrovic from MLS?
In February 2022, New England Revolution lost their star goalkeeper to a European giant when Matt Turner joined Arsenal. Just over a year later, Revs are on the brink of facing a similar situation. This is because Matt Turner’s replacement, Djordje Petrovic, has quickly attracted the attention of top European clubs and is set to become one of Stamford Bridge’s most significant signings as Chelsea continues to recruit stars for the present and future.
Like most of their recent acquisitions, it appears Chelsea will pay a hefty fee to secure Petrovic, with reports suggesting the club has agreed to a £14 million ($17.5 million) transfer, making him one of the most expensive departures in MLS history.
At the age of 23, Petrovic has truly become a star at New England, earning a nomination for the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2022 despite only becoming the first-choice goalkeeper after Turner’s departure in May of that year. In the 14 months since, he has been linked with Manchester United, Liverpool, Nantes, and Nottingham Forest, quickly catching the eye of top European clubs.
Petrovic’s move to a big club has been inevitable for a while. Meanwhile, Revs had to let him go for a legitimate reason: Petrovic’s departure is almost certain to determine their season. He’s that vital to the team, and replacing him won’t be an easy challenge.
With Petrovic’s big transfer expected to be confirmed in the coming days, it’s anticipated that he won’t just go to Europe to make up the numbers. At some point, he will likely start for Chelsea, and regardless, newly signed Robert Sanchez will have to compete with him for the top spot in the pecking order.
“When big national teams like that are interested in you, it’s great,” Petrovic told GOAL earlier this year, “but I don’t pay too much attention to that because I’m very happy here with the New England Revolution, and I’m content with my progress and how I’ve been working with the team from week to week.
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