Sanchez is on loan at Como, who have an option to buy the goalkeeper permanently at the end of the season.
A pathway back to Chelsea next summer is unlikely for on-loan goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, whom the Blues plan to offload permanently, according to reports.
Sanchez joined Italian club Como on a season-long loan late in the summer transfer window after Chelsea acquired Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa in a £7.5 million deal.
The 28-year-old’s surprise Chelsea exit was widely believed to stem from his disappointing performance in the season-opening win over Fulham, in which he conceded two poor goals, and Martinez becoming available at a relatively low price after his proposed transfer to Juventus collapsed.
Sanchez has had a slow start in Italy, having only featured once for Como in their 2-1 win over Parma earlier this month and already spent three games on the bench.
Similarly, Martinez has not had the best start at Chelsea despite being the clear number one in goal ahead of the younger Mike Penders.
The Argentine international has yet to keep a clean sheet in a Chelsea shirt, having conceded 10 goals in four Premier League matches. However, it would be unfair to hold him solely responsible for the team’s poor defensive record.
It is worth noting that Martinez is averaging most saves per 90 (4.5) in the Premier League at a respectable 64.3 per cent rate. His numbers also indicate a positive goalkeeping performance, conceding 0.8 fewer goals than expected, joint-eighth-best in the league, according to Opta.
In other words, Chelsea’s poor overall defence is responsible for their conceding the most goals (12) in the league so far.
Does Sanchez have no future at Chelsea?
While the numbers suggest Martinez has done an acceptable job, it is not as if his spot at Chelsea is fully secure.
Martinez is already 34, and depending on whether Como decide to activate the option to buy Sanchez, the Spaniard could return to Chelsea by the end of the season. Sanchez remains under contract with Chelsea until 2030.
However, a Chelsea reintegration seems unlikely for Sanchez, according to the Daily Mail.
Martinez signed a two-year contract with an option for a third, and even if his performance drops with age, Penders is already next in line to take over as number one, and the club rates him very highly.
Chelsea are understood to plan to sell Sanchez permanently next summer, whether it is to Como or another suitor.
The Blues also have another goalkeeper on loan, Filip Jorgensen, who is spending this season at sister club RC Strasbourg. The 24-year-old has also had a rough start in Ligue 1, having yet to keep a clean sheet and already conceded 10 goals in five matches.
