Bournemouth Strike £25m Deal for Chelsea Goalkeeper Petrovic

Bournemouth have agreed a £25 million deal with Chelsea for Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, who is set to undergo a medical next week ahead of a proposed five-year contract.

The 25-year-old is leaving Stamford Bridge in search of regular first-team football, having turned down the opportunity to feature for Chelsea at the Club World Cup as he pushed for a move away.

Petrovic becomes the Cherries’ second major addition of the summer, following the £14 million signing of French full-back Adrien Truffert from Rennes.

The move effectively sees Petrovic replace Kepa Arrizabalaga, who spent last season on loan at Bournemouth from Chelsea. Kepa sealed a permanent switch to Arsenal earlier this month after the Gunners activated his £5 million release clause.

Interest in Petrovic was high, with Sunderland, Monaco, and Strasbourg all keen. He impressed during a loan spell at Strasbourg last season, earning their Player of the Year award. The French outfit, like Chelsea, are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital ownership group.

Chelsea originally signed Petrovic from MLS side New England Revolution for £14 million in 2023. Despite his shot-stopping ability, new Blues boss Enzo Maresca reportedly had concerns over his distribution skills. However, the Serbian international is said to have improved significantly in that area during his time in Ligue 1.

Petrovic’s omission from Chelsea’s squad for the Club World Cup in the United States — where the team is preparing to face Paris Saint-Germain in the final — further signalled his intent to move on. Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen and new signing Mike Penders are currently the goalkeepers on tour with the squad.