Chelsea star issues perfect response at Club World Cup after being told he faces axe

Chelsea were told that they needed to bring in a top-class goalkeeper to replace Robert Sanchez to have a chance at glory in the 2025/26 season. The Spanish stopper endured a rocky campaign under Enzo Maresca, but retained the faith of his boss for the entirety of the Club World Cup and the Italian was rewarded.

The former Brighton keeper played all six matches at the tournament in the United States, after he and Filip Jorgensen failed to inspire confidence throughout the Premier League season. Both made a string of mistakes that led to goals and prompted Chelsea to act in the transfer market.

They were unable to bring in a new number one before the Club World Cup, despite efforts to sign AC Milan's Mike Maignan. As a result, Sanchez was kept as the first-choice goalkeeper.

And in the final, a 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain, Sanchez delivered a masterclass before being awarded the tournament's Golden Glove award.

He made six saves in total, somehow keeping PSG's masterful trident of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at bay with one of his best performances since arriving at the club.

It will prompt doubt over any decision to bring in another goalkeeper, with opposite number Gianluigi Donnarumma previously a target before the Italian pledged his future to the French Giants.

For the latest breaking stories and headlines, sign up to our Daily Express transfer newsletter.

But former Blues midfielder John Obi Mikel insisted before kick-off that they should be in for a goalkeeper or they risk going without major silverware next season.

"A lot of the Chelsea fans can agree that we need another top goalkeeper because Sanchez is not doing it," Mikel said on prior to the final. "The goalkeeper situation needs to be sorted out. We can't go into the new season with Sanchez, I'm sorry.

"I'm sure that 99 per cent of the Chelsea fans will agree with me that Sanchez is not the goalkeeper that will win us trophies. Definitely not.

"So far, so good in this tournament. He's made mistakes but they haven't led to a goal yet and we've been lucky, we've been scoring goals, defending well. He's not really been under pressure so much.

"But going into a season where we have the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup and all of this, we need a top, top goalkeeper. You've seen the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal - they have top, top goalkeepers. So, that area of the pitch needs to be sorted out and I'm sure the owners know that."

Sanchez has gone some way to making Mikel eat his words and if such displays can be replicated, there will be no need for further additions between the posts.