Chelsea’s Jorgensen Set For Strasbourg Loan, Arsenal Step Up Guimaraes Pursuit

Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen has approved a season-long loan move to Strasbourg as the Blues continue reshaping their squad ahead of the new campaign.

Filip Jorgensen, 24, is expected to join the Ligue 1 side after giving the green light to the switch. Strasbourg’s new manager Hugo Oliveira identified Jorgensen as his preferred option following the return of Mike Penders to Stamford Bridge after his own loan spell.

Jorgensen is seeking regular first-team football after finding opportunities limited at Chelsea, where Robert Sanchez has remained the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. He trained with the squad during the early stages of Chelsea’s pre-season tour before returning to London last week to sort out his future.

The deal also reflects the growing relationship between Chelsea and Strasbourg, both of whom operate under the Clearlake-Boehly ownership group known as BlueCo. While the clubs continue to exchange players, each transfer still requires the approval of all parties involved.

Strasbourg strengthened further on Tuesday by signing Chelsea academy defender Genesis Antwi on loan. Previous business between the clubs includes Chelsea’s permanent arrivals of Valentin Barco, Emmanuel Emegha and Mamadou Sarr.

Former Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior also made the move to Chelsea, although his spell in charge lasted fewer than four months before Xabi Alonso was appointed as the club’s permanent head coach in July.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have opened direct negotiations with Newcastle United over a move for captain Bruno Guimaraes.

Formal discussions are now taking place between the two Premier League clubs after earlier contact was conducted through intermediaries. Guimaraes is understood to be keen on joining the reigning Premier League champions.

Although an agreement has not yet been reached, there is growing confidence among those involved that negotiations are progressing. Arsenal previously submitted a £70 million offer through intermediaries, but BBC Sport reported that Newcastle wanted more. A source at the north-east club has since confirmed that an offer from Arsenal was rejected.

Despite that setback, Arsenal are expected to return with an improved bid as they continue their pursuit of the Brazil international.

Guimaraes has travelled with Newcastle to their pre-season training camp in La Manga, Spain, following his post-World Cup break. The midfielder remains one of Arsenal’s leading transfer targets as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his title-winning squad.

Arteta stopped short of discussing Guimaraes directly over the weekend but made it clear Arsenal are still active in the market.

“We’re very active,” Arteta said. “Very ambitious in what we want to do.”

“We need to increase the competition internally.

“We need to make sure we identify the things that we don’t have in the team.”