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Football

21st Jul 2020

Chelsea hopeful of offloading Kepa Arrizabalaga in exchange for La Liga star

Chelsea are hoping to sign one of the world's best goalkeepers from LaLiga in exchange for Kepa Arrizabalaga and some cash

Reuben Pinder

This feels… unlikely

Chelsea are hopeful of offloading Kepa Arrizabalaga this summer after a season of unconvincing performances.

Kepa arrived for a world record fee for a goalkeeper in 2018 from Athletic Club, but has not performed well enough to justify the £72m fee in his two seasons at Chelsea.

Frank Lampard is now hoping to bring in a new goalkeeper, whether or not the club are able to secure a move for Kepa, with loans to Valencia and Sevilla mooted.

Both The Telegraph and Mundo Deportivo have reported Chelsea’s interest in signing Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter-Stegen, possibly in a player-plus-cash move with Kepa moving the other way. I guess, in the same way that I am interested in buying a house in exchange for an old bike and a £20 note.

Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak is another name that has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in a similar deal. Again, never going to happen. His release clause is £120m. And he’s really good. Atletico would be mad to sell.

Neither of these moves are likely to happen, which leaves Chelsea more likely to subsidise Kepa’s wages while he spends a season or two out on loan.

Another option for the London club would be to keep Kepa as back up, relegate Willy Caballero to third choice and bring in a new number 1.

Chelsea have already spent big money this summer on Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, and are close to securing 21-year-old Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen.

They also have eyes on a new left-back, with Atalanta’s Robin Gosens a possible target as well as Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell.

Having been restricted by a transfer ban last summer, Chelsea look set to be the biggest spenders in this window, as they look to rejuvenate their squad and mount a title challenge.