VILLARREAL CEO FERNANDO ROIG NEGUEROLES HAS EXPRESSED HIS DISAPPOINTMENT WITH FILIP JORGENSEN’S DECISION TO JOIN CHELSEA DURING THE SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW.
WHY DID CHELSEA SIGN JORGENSEN?
DESPITE JORGENSEN’S STRONG PERFORMANCES DURING THE 2023-24 LALIGA SEASON, ROIG BELIEVES THE 22-YEAR-OLD GOALKEEPER SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT VILLARREAL FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AFTER MAKING 36 LEAGUE APPEARANCES LAST TERM.
JORGENSEN’S TRANSFER TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB FOR APPROXIMATELY £20 MILLION WAS INFLUENCED BY THE ARRIVAL OF NEW MANAGER ENZO MARESCA AND THE DEPARTURE OF DJORDJE PETROVIC TO STRASBOURG ON LOAN. WHILE JORGENSEN WAS SEEN AS A POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT FOR PETROVIC, HE WAS UNLIKELY TO IMMEDIATELY CHALLENGE ROBERT SANCHEZ FOR THE STARTING POSITION, WITH HIS INITIAL APPEARANCES EXPECTED TO BE IN THE CONFERENCE LEAGUE.
WHAT NEGUEROLES SAID ABOUT JORGENSEN’S CHELSEA SWITCH
VILLARREAL WERE RELUCTANT TO SELL JORGENSEN BUT ULTIMATELY RESPECTED HIS DECISION TO MOVE TO CHELSEA. NEGUEROLES EMPHASIZED THAT THE 22-YEAR-OLD HAD THE POTENTIAL TO GROW FURTHER WITH VILLARREAL AND BELIEVED HE MADE A HASTY DECISION.
“WE DIDN’T EXPECT TO SELL JORGENSEN SO SOON, LET ALONE THIS YEAR,” NEGUEROLES TOLD AS. “WE KNEW ABOUT HIS ENORMOUS POTENTIAL AND WE THOUGHT HE WOULD LEAVE, BUT NOT NOW. HONESTLY, AND I HAVE MADE THIS CLEAR TO HIM AND HIS ENTOURAGE, I THINK JORGENSEN RUSHED HIS DECISION.
“HE HAD ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH HERE, BUT HIS DEPARTURE WAS HIS WILL. WE DID NOT INTEND TO MAKE THAT SALE, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE HE IS A GREAT GOALKEEPER FOR THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE AND WITH QUALITIES THAT CAN MAKE HIM ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT GOALKEEPERS IN EUROPE.”
WHAT COMES NEXT?
CHELSEA WILL RETURN TO PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION AGAINST BOURNEMOUTH ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, AS THEY LOOK TO SECURE THEIR SECOND TOP-FLIGHT VICTORY OF THE 2024-25 SEASON AFTER A DISAPPOINTING DRAW AGAINST CRYSTAL PALACE BEFORE THE BREAK.