Bournemouth have secured the signing of goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic from Chelsea for £25 million. The Serbian international, who has agreed to a five-year contract, becomes the club’s third addition of the summer.
Petrovic initially moved to Stamford Bridge in 2023 from Major League Soccer side New England Revolution in a deal worth £14 million. Though he briefly became Chelsea’s first-choice keeper under then-manager Mauricio Pochettino, he was loaned out to Strasbourg last season amid doubts over his distribution from the back.
Loan success in France and goalkeeping stats
While at Strasbourg, Petrovic played a key role in helping the French side secure a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1, earning a Europa Conference League spot. His performances led to him being named the club’s player of the season.
One of the 25-year-old’s standout attributes was his shot-stopping. According to the expected goals on target (xGOT) model, he prevented close to ten goals more than an average keeper would be expected to save. This figure ranked him sixth among all goalkeepers in Europe’s top five domestic leagues last season.
Although his ability to play from the back remained under scrutiny, his pass accuracy surpassed that of Chelsea’s current number one, Robert Sanchez. Filip Jorgensen, who served as a backup at the London club, also recorded better passing numbers than both.
Changes at Chelsea and player motivations
Sanchez, despite some inconsistency during the campaign, was praised for his role in Chelsea’s Club World Cup success, particularly in the final against Paris Saint-Germain, where he made vital saves and contributed with accurate long passes. He is expected to remain Chelsea’s primary goalkeeper.
Petrovic replaces another former Chelsea keeper at Bournemouth – Kepa Arrizabalaga – who recently moved to Arsenal for £5 million. Kepa had filled in for Bournemouth’s regular shot-stopper Neto, who had spent the 2024–25 season on loan at the Emirates and has now returned, with his future uncertain.
Speaking after signing, Petrovic expressed his desire to develop further: “I came to Bournemouth because I want to grow and I want to play at the best level. Together with this club, with these facilities, I think we can achieve it. I want to help the team get the results, improve every day and be a better player.
