Sunderland are reportedly active in the transfer market as they prepare for the upcoming season. Recent reports suggest that a deal for Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is close to being finalised. Petrovic spent last season on loan at Strasbourg in Ligue 1, where he delivered impressive performances.
The Serbian international is understood to be a target for the Black Cats, potentially arriving to compete with last season`s number one, Anthony Patterson. The 25-year-old keeper has also been the subject of transfer speculation linking him with Premier League sides Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth.
This potential acquisition follows Sunderland`s recent notable signing of midfielder Habib Diarra, also from Strasbourg, for a reported £30 million. Regarding Petrovic`s move, reports, including those from Sky Sports, indicate that Chelsea is expected to receive a transfer fee in the region of €25 million (£21.6m, $29.4m) for the player who excelled during his loan spell in France.
Key Ligue 1 Statistics for Djordje Petrovic (2023/24)
Here is a summary of Djordje Petrovic`s performance metrics from the French top flight last season:
- Clean Sheets: Petrovic kept 10 clean sheets throughout the Ligue 1 season. Only Lucas Chevalier of Lille recorded more shutouts (11).
- Save Percentage: The Serbian goalkeeper registered the second-highest save percentage in the league last season, stopping 78% of shots faced.
- Penalties Faced: He faced a total of eight penalties during the campaign, successfully saving one of them.
- Expected Goals (xG) Performance: According to the expected goals model, Petrovic significantly outperformed expectations, with a post-shot xG difference of +9.9. While he conceded 38 goals in Ligue 1, the xG metric suggested that an average goalkeeper facing the same shots would have been expected to concede approximately 45.9 goals, underscoring his shot-stopping ability.
- Defensive Actions Outside Box: Petrovic ranked third among all Ligue 1 goalkeepers for defensive actions taken outside his penalty area, completing 47 such actions.
