Bournemouth have secured a season-long loan deal for Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. This move is expected to end Bournemouth’s pursuit of Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale, while Mark Travers may depart the club before Friday’s transfer deadline.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, 29, has also extended his contract at Stamford Bridge until the end of the 2026 season. His original deal was set to expire in June 2025, which would have allowed him to leave Chelsea on a free transfer after his loan spell with Bournemouth. He remains the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, having joined Chelsea in 2018 from Athletic Bilbao for £71 million. He has been training separately from manager Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad and is not expected to have a future at Stamford Bridge.
The Spain international spent last season on loan at Real Madrid, making 20 appearances as a replacement for the injured Thibaut Courtois, and helped the team win La Liga and the Champions League. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was interested in re-signing Kepa, but this depended on Andriy Lunin leaving the club.
Kepa Arrizabalaga also turned down a permanent move to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad in July.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have signed teenage Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders from Genk for £17 million, though he will not join the club until the start of next season. Additionally, Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq, managed by Steven Gerrard, is in advanced talks to sign Chelsea’s versatile attacker Harvey Vale. The clubs have reached a broad agreement, but Vale must now decide whether to proceed with the move.
Kepa Arrizabalaga Role At Bournemouth
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Kepa Arrizabalaga was brought to Chelsea primarily for his exceptional footwork, but when evaluating his overall goalkeeping abilities, it’s hard to overlook the shortcomings in the more traditional aspects of his game. These issues are surprising, considering that during his time at Bilbao, there were glimpses that suggested he might justify Chelsea’s significant investment. However, the substantial fee has weighed heavily on him, and he has struggled to handle the pressure, with some even arguing that he has regressed since joining the Premier League.
He rarely, if ever, makes outstanding saves. When a shot is aimed for the corner of his net, it’s almost expected to result in a goal, unlike with other Premier League goalkeepers like David de Gea, Hugo Lloris, Bernd Leno, Kasper Schmeichel, Ederson, Alisson, Lukasz Fabianski, Rui Patrício, or Dean Henderson, who often make remarkable saves. Kepa, however, allows far too many shots to get past him, and the statistics support this observation.
Kepa Arrizabalaga Club Career
After progressing through the Athletic Bilbao youth system, Kepa Arrizabalaga joined CD Basconia in 2012. He made 50 appearances for Athletic Bilbao’s B team in the Segunda B Division. Seeking more competitive football, Kepa went on loan to Ponferradina for the 2014-15 season, where he played 20 times. He then moved on loan to Real Valladolid, making 40 appearances during the 2015-16 season.
Kepa Arrizabalaga returned to Athletic Bilbao at the start of the 2016-17 season and has since played in 45 matches for the club. In January 2018, amid interest from Real Madrid, Kepa signed a new contract with Athletic Bilbao, extending his deal until June 2025 and including an €80 million release clause.
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