FINALLY! Chelsea find buyer for €80m flop
According to a source, Bournemouth is prepared to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on a permanent basis this summer.
The season will be spent on loan at Vitality Stadium for the much-maligned Blues goalie. Last summer, Kepa returned to Chelsea after spending time on loan at Real Madrid; however, no team was prepared to buy the 30-year-old on a long-term basis.
Kepa himself had desired to remain in Madrid, but Los Blancos no longer needed the former Athletic Club player once Thibaut Courtois recovered from his protracted injury.
Instead, he moved to a completely different environment by joining Bournemouth. It was a good decision as the Cherries are in the midst of a brilliant season and could qualify for Europe come the end of the campaign.
Although Kepa has made some mistakes, Andoni Iraola is said to be very happy with his compatriot and wants to keep him around.
Bournemouth to sign Kepa
At least that is according to The Telegraph, which reports that Bournemouth are open to making Kepa’s loan stay permanent in the upcoming window. The outlet predicts a hectic goalkeeper market this summer and the Cherries are assessing their options.
As Kepa would have been a free agent this summer, Chelsea extended his contract by a year prior to his Bournemouth loan. The deal reportedly includes a release clause that stands at a measly €6 million.
This is a far cry from the €80m fee Chelsea paid for Kepa in 2028, which was a world-record fee for a goalkeeper at the time. Given the amount of his release clause, a deal is not expected to be a problem for Bournemouth, although Kepa’s wages could prove an issue.
Additionally, it is expected that the Spaniard will have other suitors after managing to revive his career this season. One thing is certain, though, Kepa is likely to finally leave Chelsea on a permanent basis this summer.