£25m man set to depart Chelsea alongside Kepa & Noni Madueke as 'gentleman's agreement' met

Chelsea are on a major high following the end of Enzo Maresca’s first season with the club. Champions League football was secured, a European trophy was added to the cabinet and now the club have earnt the title of ‘World Champions’ to top it all off.

Few expected the Blues to put in such a dominant performance in the final of the Club World Cup against PSG but that they did, overcoming the Champions League winners 3-0 at the MetLife stadium after a first-half masterclass by Cole Palmer.

Maresca may still feel that he has one or two improvements he would like to make to his squad, but several departures will be forthcoming as Chelsea currently have a massive 46 players on the books. Twelve players have returned from loan spells away and the majority are unlikely to have a future at Stamford Bridge. One player looks set to secure a permanent move away in the coming days.

Djordje Petrovic closes in on Bournemouth transfer

Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic was out on loan in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg last season and impressed so much that he is set to become a first-choice keeper in the Premier League with Bournemouth.

The Cherries finished ninth last season with former Blues shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal and they will feel that they have got an upgrade in 25-year-old Serbia international Petrovic, who will reportedly cost £25m. Kepa recently completed a permanent transfer away from Stamford Bridge himself, moving to Arsenal for £5m.

The Athletic report that the move for Petrovic is ‘set to be finalised’, suggesting that he will become a Bournemouth player and follow Emirates-bound Noni Madueke out of the Chelsea exit door in the coming days. The Athletic’s report states that the Blues made a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Petrovic to sell him for £25m following his loan spell, a price which Bournemouth have matched. This will leave Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen as Chelsea’s senior options in goal, though a move for the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma has been rumoured.

‘Great’, ‘decisive’ Petrovic - Liam Rosenior

Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior had high praise for Petrovic during his loan in France last season, outlining his impact on the side after his performance against Auxerre in January. Rosenior said: "Petrovic is a great goalkeeper, that’s why he’s here. We expect him in these kinds of matches, the fans pay their way to see these kinds of saves. He was decisive again today."

Earlier in the season, the Serbian had spoken about how Strasbourg was the right move for him, despite his desire to remain in the Premier League: "I am very happy here in Strasbourg. It is true that I wanted to stay in the Premier League. But when I started working with the staff and the players, it went very well straight away. It's not a mistake in my journey."

Less than a year on, it looks as though Petrovic may get his wish if his prospective move to the Vitality Stadium goes through. He will be joining a well-run, forward-thinking club in Bournemouth where he will be more than given his opportunity to prove his credentials at Premier League level. The departures of former Cherries defenders Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez may have made his task a little more difficult, but the Serbian will no doubt feel he is up to the task.