Chelsea's goalkeeper Mike Penders has voiced his eagerness to gain more first-team experience following his acclimatisation in London.
The young Belgian shot-stopper completed his transfer from Genk in August 2024 and joined the Blues in the summer of 2025. After a successful loan spell at Strasbourg where he made 52 appearances and kept 12 clean sheets in Ligue 1, Penders returned to Chelsea ahead of the current season under new head coach Xabi Alonso.
However, with the signing of Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa and Robert Sanchez's loan move to Como, Martinez has established himself as Chelsea's undisputed number one, leaving Penders as a backup option. To date, the 21-year-old has only featured in two matches in the EFL Cup, conceding three goals and managing one clean sheet. Nonetheless, his consistent performances in training have earned him a call-up to the Belgian national team under Marc van Bommel.
"How eager am I? Every professional footballer wants to play, and I'm no exception. So, I need to prove my worth in training — that's all I can do. The rest is up to the manager," Penders explained.
The goalkeeper also mentioned that his adaptation to life in England has gone smoothly, as he feels completely settled in the British capital.
