Kepa Arrizabalaga and Chelsea to Take Financial Hit if Goalkeeper Leaves Stamford Bridge

FBL-ENG-LCUP-CHELSEA-BARNSLEY
Kepa and Chelsea will have to make financial compromises if the player is to secure a Stamford Bridge exit | ALASTAIR GRANT/Getty Images

Chelsea and Kepa Arrizabalaga will both have to take a financial hit if the goalkeeper is to secure a move away from Stamford Bridge.

Kepa is Chelsea’s club record signing, with the Blues paying €80m to bring the Spaniard to Stamford Bridge in 2018, but following a patchy 2019/20 season in west London he has lost his number one spot.

Che Adams, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Danny IngsChe Adams, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Danny Ings
Kepa did not cover himself in glory during Chelsea’s draw with Southampton | Pool/Getty Images

The Blues brought in Edouard Mendy from Rennes during the transfer window, but the Senegal international was nursing a thigh injury on Saturday and Kepa returned to the side for the Premier League clash with Southampton.

However, the 26-year-old produced an error which cost his side all three points as Chelsea could only muster a 3-3 draw with the Saints.

Mendy returned to the starting XI for Chelsea’s 0-0 draw with Sevilla in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, and Frank Lampard confirmed at full time that the former Rennes man was currently his number one goalkeeper.

Edouard MendyEdouard Mendy
Mendy is now Lampard’s first choice goalkeeper | DeFodi Images/Getty Images

“At the moment yes, he’s shown his quality. The way he’s played, he’s played very well, that’s two clean sheets for him already,” said Lampard [via the Daily Mail]. “As it stands he is [first choice] but that’s always up for grabs. But the way he’s playing I’m very happy.”

That leaves Chelsea with the €80m Kepa warming the bench, and according to Spanish news outlet Estadio Deportivo [via Sport Witness], both the club and player would have to make financial sacrifices if a move elsewhere is to materialise.

Sevilla were said to have made an approach to take the Chelsea stopper on loan during the transfer window, but with Yassine Bounou now cementing his place in the Spanish outfit’s starting XI, their need for a new goalkeeper has diminished.

Kepa’s price tag will also be an issue for potential suitors given how much Chelsea paid to bring him to the bridge in the first place. His current wages would likely be too steep for the majority of clubs, meaning Chelsea and Kepa will have to make compromises if the goalkeeper is to negotiate a departure.

Let’

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.