The Serbian goalkeeper arrived at Stamford Bridge to compete with Robert Sanchez to become the number one under Mauricio Pochettino – but who is he?

 

In February 2022, New England Revolution lost their top goalkeeper to a European giant when Matt Turner joined Arsenal. Just over a year and a half later, the Revs are facing a similar situation. This is because Turner’s replacement, Djordje Petrovic, quickly attracted the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs and will become one of the most valuable signings at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea continues to recruit stars for the present and future.

 

Like most of their recent signings, it seems Chelsea is willing to pay a high fee to acquire Petrovic, with reports suggesting that the club has agreed to pay £14 million ($17.5 million) for the transfer, making him one of the most expensive outgoing transfers in MLS history.

 

At the age of 23, Petrovic has become a genuine star at New England, being nominated for the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2022 despite becoming the first-choice goalkeeper only after Turner’s departure in May of that year. In the 14 months since then, he has been linked with Manchester United, Liverpool, Nantes, and Nottingham Forest, quickly attracting the attention of Europe’s top clubs.Petrovic’s move to a major club has been inevitable for a while. Meanwhile, the Revs reluctantly let him go for a valid reason: Petrovic’s departure is almost certain to determine their season. He is that important to the team, and replacing him will not be an easy task.

 

When Petrovic’s major transfer is confirmed in the coming days, it is expected that he will not just go to Europe to be a backup, but at some point, he will start for Chelsea. However, regardless, newly signed Robert Sanchez will be placed ahead of him in the pecking order.

“When big teams like that show interest in you, it’s amazing,” Petrovic told GOAL earlier this year. “But I don’t worry too much about it because I’m really happy here with the New England Revolution, and I’m satisfied with my progress and how I work with the team from week to week. When the right time comes [to consider a transfer], we’ll see.”