John Obi Mikel Urges Chelsea to Replace Robert Sanchez: “He’s Not the Goalkeeper to Win Us Trophies”

Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has made a bold statement about the club’s goalkeeping situation, claiming Robert Sanchez is not the man to lead the team to silverware.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Mikel didn’t hold back as he shared his thoughts on the Blues’ number one. While acknowledging that Sanchez has done “so far, so good” during the Club World Cup campaign, Mikel warned that the Spaniard has been lucky, and his errors haven’t yet come back to haunt the team.

“He’s made mistakes but they haven’t led to a goal yet and we’ve been lucky,” Mikel said.
“We’ve been scoring goals, defending well. He’s not really been under pressure so much.”

Chelsea are set to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, and while the team has looked solid at the back, Mikel believes a stronger presence is needed between the sticks if they are to seriously challenge for trophies next season.

“The goalkeeper situation is a situation that needs to be sorted out,” he added.
“We can’t go into the new season with Sanchez. I’m sorry, but I’m sorry.”

The former Chelsea midfielder, who played over 370 games for the club and won everything from the Premier League to the Champions League, says fans would agree with him.

“I’m sure that 99% of Chelsea fans will agree with me that Sanchez is not the goalkeeper that will win us trophies. Definitely not.”

Sanchez, 26, joined Chelsea from Brighton in 2023 for a reported £25 million. Initially brought in to compete with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Sanchez quickly became the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. However, his time at Stamford Bridge has been full of mixed reviews. While he has made some impressive saves, there have also been worrying mistakes — especially with the ball at his feet and under pressure.

In this Club World Cup run, Chelsea have managed to stay solid defensively, but most of that credit has gone to their backline and midfield — not their goalkeeper.

Mikel’s comments echo the sentiments of many Chelsea supporters who have taken to social media in recent months, questioning Sanchez’s ability to command his box and make big saves in key moments. With a young team growing in confidence under manager Enzo Maresca, many believe that bringing in a more experienced and reliable goalkeeper could be the missing piece.

Whether Chelsea act on Mikel’s advice remains to be seen, but the message from one of their most decorated legends is clear — a new shot-stopper may be needed to take the team to the next level.