After linking up with his new Chelsea team-mates in training for the first time, Robert Sanchez explained why he has been so impressed by Cobham, can’t wait to get started at Stamford Bridge and is thrilled by the chance to work with Mauricio Pochettino.
The Spanish goalkeeper completed his move from Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, bolstering the Chelsea ranks ahead of the start of the 2023/24 season, which begins next Sunday when we host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
Although that will be far from his first visit to SW6, with three seasons of Premier League football under his belt as an opposition player with Brighton, his first taste of our home as a Blue is still something which gets him excited.
‘It’s one of my favourite stadiums. Obviously Stamford Bridge has the history and the legend that it has created. I just want to be part of that,’ said Sanchez, before discussing his first time training at Cobham.
‘It’s an amazing training ground. I’ve never been to this part before, but I had been to the Academy side once; in my first year at Brighton, when I was in the Under-18s, I played against Chelsea. I think it was my only time here, but it was 10 years ago so obviously it’s changed a lot.
‘But my impression is that it is an amazing training ground, great facilities and nothing less than you would expect for a club of this size.’
After enjoying his first training session with Chelsea, Sanchez has his sights firmly set on the future, and is open about the excitement he feels for the season and years ahead.
‘I started my career here in England really. Brighton provided me with everything I needed as a goalkeeper, inside and outside the pitch, to get the maximum potential out of me. I’m really happy and thankful for that, now it’s another bigger challenge and I’m ready for it.
‘I think choosing Chelsea is the best choice I could have picked because the opportunities that have been presented in front of me is amazing, to develop more as a goalkeeper, to keep learning and compete for the spot and show everyone how good I can be to the club for the next years to come.
‘I’m really excited about working with the manager, it’s an amazing opportunity to work with a coach of his level. I watched him at his first clubs, what he’s done. I think what he brings to the club, the family atmosphere around the players is really good and his playing style is something I think I suit really well and I’m going to contribute good to win trophies for the club with him.’