Chelsea FC Secures New Goalkeeper as New England Revolution Faces Transfer Decision
Chelsea Football Club has successfully secured a new goalkeeper, prompting the New England Revolution to consider their next move as they approach a critical phase of upcoming matches.
Recent reports on Monday confirmed that Chelsea and New England Revolution have come to terms on the Djordje Petrovic transfer. This marks a significant step for one of Major League Soccer’s standout goalkeepers, who will be departing for England on Wednesday after an impressive season-and-a-half in North America. With this move, he stands a real chance of becoming Chelsea’s primary goalkeeper.
EXCL: Djordje Petrović to Chelsea, here we go! Verbal agreement in place with New England Revolution on €16m deal 🚨🔵🇷🇸 #CFC
Medical tests booked on Wednesday for the Serbian goalkeeper who’s gonna compete with Robert Sanchez. pic.twitter.com/5h6lOyPRP7
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 21, 2023
Petrovic’s Journey to the Premier League
Djordje Petrovic’s remarkable journey to the Premier League has been shaped by his time at the FK Cukariki academy. Joining the academy in 2014, he eventually progressed to make his professional debut in his homeland, Serbia. Petrovic’s time at Cukariki saw him accumulate 78 appearances for the first team, laying a strong foundation for his future endeavors. In 2022, he made the bold move to the United States, and it was here that New England Revolution’s shrewd scouting identified him as a potential gem, perhaps even surpassing the talents of Matt Turner, who had moved to Arsenal in the previous season.
This season, Petrovic’s standout performances earned him the prestigious title of MLS All-Star, reigniting European interest in the 23-year-old goalkeeper. Chelsea, with their American ownership group Clearlake Capital, has demonstrated their willingness to invest, and once again, they have flexed their financial muscle to secure Petrovic’s services from MLS. This move comes at a critical juncture as New England Revolution faces the challenge of securing a playoff position.
A Noteworthy Transaction in MLS
With the forthcoming confirmation of Petrovic’s transfer, a significant deal is set to unfold in the annals of Major League Soccer. This impending transfer stands to become one of the most substantial financial transactions in MLS history.
BREAKING: Chelsea reach an agreement with New England Revolution to sign Serbia int'l GK Djordje Petrovic, per sources. @FabrizioRomano 1st.
Deal worth $17.5m up-front plus $2.2m add-ons.
Top 5 outbound MLS transfer & new MLS record for GK transfer. https://t.co/jGt4eC22dV
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 21, 2023
At present, the league’s transfer record remains held by Miguel Almiron, who made a move from Atlanta United to Newcastle in 2019 for a sum of $26 million. Another notable transfer involved Ricardo Pepi’s transition from FC Dallas to German club Augsburg last year, fetching a respectable $20 million. As Petrovic’s transfer details finalize, it’s anticipated that he will approach this substantial figure, especially considering potential additional clauses.
