Mike Penders Joins Chelsea From Genk
Premier League side, Chelsea has signed Belgian goalkeeper, Mike Penders from Genk.
19-year-old Penders will stay with the Belgian club for the remainder of the 2024-25 season and join Chelsea’s first-team squad in the summer of 2025.
The youngster has begun the season as Thorsten Fink’s first-choice goalkeeper at Genk, keeping a clean sheet in their opening Belgian Pro League game against Standard Liege before starting in the 3-1 defeat at Leuven, but did not feature in the victories over Club Bruges and Beerschot.
Penders spent last season as the No 1 at Genk’s reserve side, Jong Genk, which competes in the second tier of Belgian club football, as well as featuring on the bench for the first team on several occasions. He played 25 times for Jong Genk last season.
Penders is also a Belgian youth international and has represented his country up to under-19 level.
The signing of Penders fits in with Chelsea’s policy of attempting to recruit the best young talent from around the globe. This summer, they have already signed 17-year-old Estevao Willian, 19-year-old Caleb Wiley, 18-year-old Omari Kellyman and 18-year-old Marc Guiu.
