Chelsea are starting to get their contract business in order ahead of the summer transfer window, where some huge decisions are set to be made. The latest uncertainty was settled on Monday as back-up goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli put pen to paper on a new contract.
The former Fulham shot-stopper has made just one first-team appearance since joining the club in 2021, playing the role of a backup option. With Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga higher in the pecking order, the 30-year-old has been on the fringes, though the future of both are in doubt in the coming months.
While there will be some consistency in the goalkeeping ranks with his stay, Bettinelli also meets the homegrown status quota, meaning less strain on landing another player of that status elsewhere. The deal runs until 2026, with the Englishman labelling the chance to extend his spell at Stamford Bridge as a 'privilege'.
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Speaking to the club website, he said: "It is a privilege to be at a club like Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, and a couple of years ago when I signed I was delighted to be here, delighted to sign. To be here now and see the club going through this transition and seeing what we are developing, it is amazing to be a part of and I am buzzing to be here for an extra couple of years."
While the fans haven't seen a whole lot of Bettinelli on the pitch, his teammates have on the training ground and in the dressing room, with the messages of congratulations speaking volumes on how positively he is perceived at the club.
“Ma boyy, the coffee club continues @marcusbettinelli,” Reece James wrote in an Instagram story in reaction to the news.
Meanwhile, Ben Chilwell joined the likes of Marc Cucurella and Mason Mount in congratulating him with clapping emojis under the post.
While the focus will always be on the big stars of the squad, the impact of those around it should never be underestimated, as the case with Bettinelli shows.
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