Bridge players, an increasingly common practice

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Fulham Chelsea

24/08/26 21:00:00

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Timeshare has become a tool for developing footballers within the same business structure. Cases like Thiago Almada, Vitor Reis, Claudio Echeverri, Mike Penders, and Filip Jörgensen demonstrate how a player can be acquired by a club and go through another affiliated entity before establishing themselves in the first team or changing destinations. The Chelsea market or Manchester City focuses on bridge players.

Timeshare: Thiago Almada and Eagle Football's Journey

Thiago Almada, a 25-year-old Argentine midfielder, went through Botafogo and Olympique de Lyon, two clubs linked to Eagle Football, before signing with Atlético de Madrid in 2025. The Argentine joined the Brazilian team from Atlanta United in 2024 and was later sent to Lyon in January 2025.

The operation allowed Almada to continue his career in Europe while remaining within the structure controlled by John Textor. After his time in France, Atlético completed his signing from Botafogo in July 2025.

The journey ended in August 2026, when Almada left Atlético to return to Argentina and sign with River Plate in a deal exceeding 20 million euros.

Vitor Reis and Echeverri, the bridge from Manchester City to Girona

Manchester City employs a similar formula with Girona within the City Football Group. Vitor Reis, a 20-year-old Brazilian center-back, was signed in 2025 and spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Girona before returning to the English first-team environment.

The case of Claudio Echeverri, a 20-year-old Argentine midfielder, has had more stages. City acquired him from River Plate and then loaned him to Bayer Leverkusen before sending him to Girona in January 2026.

Both players arrived at Girona as City-owned footballers, but with the possibility of competing in a demanding league before trying to secure a place in England. For Reis, this process may end this summer: after his season in Spain and a good preseason, City is considering permanently incorporating him into the 2026/27 squad.

Chelsea and Strasbourg: a chain of bridge players

The most repeated model currently exists between Chelsea and Strasbourg, both under the control of BlueCo. The relationship has generated a succession of movements of young footballers between the two squads.

Mike Penders, a 20-year-old Belgian goalkeeper, arrived at Chelsea from Genk and was then loaned to Strasbourg. His journey allowed him to compete in France before returning to London, where he currently forms part of the first-team structure.

The same formula has been applied with Filip Jörgensen, a 24-year-old goalkeeper owned by Chelsea who has just joined Strasbourg on loan for the 2026/27 season. This marks the third consecutive summer that Strasbourg has received a Chelsea loan goalkeeper, following Đorđe Petrović and Penders.

The case of Andrey Santos followed a similar path. The Brazilian midfielder went on loan to Strasbourg after being signed by Chelsea, and his performance in France preceded his subsequent departure from the London club in 2026.

Timeshare also allows a footballer to return to the original club after completing a developmental period. At Chelsea and Strasbourg, Penders and Jörgensen represent two different moments of the same model: players under contract with the main club who use the associated entity to accumulate minutes and compete before returning or seeking another destination. The next challenge for this system will be to maintain these operations within the sports integrity standards that regulate clubs with common owners.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los jugadores puente, una práctica cada vez más habitual