Chelsea Football Club has finalized the acquisition of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Spanish international, boasting 87 Premier League appearances, has officially penned a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge. He is set to imminently integrate into the first-team roster at Cobham.
Co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart said: ‘We’re very pleased to welcome Robert to Chelsea and he adds further quality to our goalkeeping unit.
‘Robert has repeatedly proved himself in the Premier League and been capped by his country. We are excited to watch him work with Mauricio and his coaching team during the season ahead.’
Sanchez embarked on his journey from his native country to join Brighton at the tender age of 15, progressing through the club’s youth system. Notably, he experienced fruitful loan stints at Forest Green Rovers and Rochdale before cementing his status as Brighton’s primary goalkeeper during the 2020/21 season.
At 25 years old, Sanchez swiftly garnered acclaim in the Premier League, gaining recognition for his adept shot-stopping abilities and his proficiency in orchestrating possession and initiating attacks.
Throughout the 2021/22 season, which marked his inaugural full term as Brighton’s top-choice goalkeeper, Sanchez’s performances contributed to the team achieving a club-record of 11 clean sheets in a single Premier League campaign.
During that same season, he earned his inaugural cap for the Spanish national team, featuring in a 4-0 victory over Georgia in a World Cup qualifying match. Notably, he secured spots in the rosters for both Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.
In the preceding season, Sanchez played an instrumental role in guiding Brighton to the semi-finals of the FA Cup. His commendable efforts led to clean sheets in the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, although the latter concluded in a penalty shootout loss to Manchester United. This match marked his 91st and final appearance for Brighton.