Chelsea F.C. Announces Official Signing of Goalkeeper Robert Sánchez

It’s official! Robert Sánchez is leaving Brighton

Chelsea F.C. has signed the 25-year-old Spanish goalkeeper from Brighton on a seven-year contract, the club announced on Saturday.

Robert Sanchez

As previously reported, Chelsea had agreed a fee in the region of £25 million ($31.7m) for Sanchez.

Chelsea has been looking to bolster their goalkeeping options since Edouard Mendy joined Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli in June.

Chelsea is looking to revive its fortunes under new manager Mauricio Pochettino after coming 12th in the Premier League last season — their worst finish since 1994.

“Robert has repeatedly proved himself in the Premier League and been capped by his country,” Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, said in a statement.

“We are excited to watch him work with Mauricio and his coaching team during the season ahead.”

Sanchez joined Brighton’s academy in 2013 and has made 87 Premier League appearances for the south-coast club, but fell out of favor towards the end of the previous season, with Jason Steele starting 15 of Brighton’s last 16 league games.

Sanchez, who is adept with his feet and has a strong range of passing, has won two caps for Spain. He will compete for the goalkeeper position at Stamford Bridge with compatriot Kepa Arrizabalaga.

“Robert is a good guy and a really good player, but being a coach sometimes means making difficult and painful decisions for the team,” Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi said.

“I wish him good luck for the future.”

Roberto Firmino Agrees to Three-Year Deal with Saudi Arabian Club Al Ahli 

Roberto Firmino is headed to the Middle East… 

The 31-year-old Brazilian professional footballer has joined Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli as a free agent after his contract at Liverpool expired at the end of last season, it was announced Tuesday.

Roberto FirminoFirmino, a forward, has agreed a three-year deal with the Saudi team and joins former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy at the Jeddah-based club.

The Brazil forward spent eight years at Anfield, scoring scoring 110 goals in 361 games.

Firmino won seven trophies with Liverpool including the Champions League in 2019 and the club’s first-ever Premier League title in 2020.

Clubs in Saudi Arabia have pursued an aggressive recruitment strategy in recent months, persuading some of the sport’s biggest names to sign lucrative deals with teams in the country — Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January and Karim Benzema left Real Madrid for Al Ittihad earlier this month.

Al Ahli won the Saudi First Division League title last season to achieve promotion back to the Saudi Pro League for the 2023-24 campaign.