The 20-year-old has spent the campaign on loan at Strasbourg and is now expected to return to Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Reports from Sky Sports Switzerland journalist Sacha Tavolieri claim Chelsea have already decided Penders will become part of Xabi Alonso’s senior squad.
The plan is believed to involve gradually increasing the young goalkeeper’s responsibilities before potentially making him the club’s long-term number one.
“Chelsea now wants to give the goalkeeper a concrete role in the first-team squad,” Tavolieri reported.
Penders impressed during his time in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg, another club within the BlueCo multi-club network, and is viewed internally as one of the best young goalkeeping prospects in Europe.
The development creates fresh uncertainty around Chelsea’s pursuit of Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs.
The Netherlands Under-21 international enjoyed an outstanding first Premier League season after joining Sunderland from NEC Nijmegen in a £9 million move.
Roefs, 23, has since been valued at around £50 million after breaking into Ronald Koeman’s senior Netherlands squad.
Chelsea’s interest in another young goalkeeper has raised questions over the club’s long-term strategy between the posts.
Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen both faced scrutiny at different stages this season, while the club’s recruitment policy under BlueCo has heavily focused on signing emerging talent with long-term resale value.
Penders appears to fit that model perfectly.
However, a major move for Roefs would suggest Chelsea are still not fully convinced they already possess their future first-choice goalkeeper within the current setup.
For now, Penders looks set to get his opportunity to prove he can change that thinking himself.