Arsenal have sealed a cut-price deal for Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga in a surprising transfer move. Will the Arsenal Kepa transfer strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad, or is he destined for a backup role?
Arsenal are on the verge of completing their first signing of the summer transfer window, having agreed to a cut-price fee for Chelsea’s forgotten goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga. The Spanish shot-stopper, who joined Chelsea for a record-breaking £72 million in 2018, is now set to move across London for just £5 million due to a buyout clause in his contract. The Arsenal Kepa transfer has surprised fans, as the Spanish shot-stopper, once the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, will join Mikel Arteta’s squad for just £5 million. With this move, Arsenal aim to reinforce their goalkeeping options, ensuring greater squad depth ahead of the upcoming season.
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Mikel Arteta’s side has been actively searching for a backup goalkeeper to provide competition for David Raya, who has firmly established himself as one of the Premier League’s top keepers. With Neto returning to Bournemouth after his loan spell at the Emirates and young prospects Jack Porter and Tommy Setford likely to go out on loan, Arsenal needed a reliable option to strengthen their goalkeeping department.
Initially, the Gunners were heavily linked with Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, but the Spaniard now appears to be heading to Barcelona instead. Forced to look elsewhere, Arsenal swiftly moved to secure Kepa, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Real Madrid and Bournemouth, making 109 Premier League appearances for Chelsea in total.
While Kepa may not be Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper, his experience and quality make him a valuable addition to the squad. However, former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has urged the Spaniard to reconsider settling for a backup role at this stage of his career.
“It’s all on whether he wants to play—he’s not going to play at Arsenal, is he?” said Parlour. “He’s going to be the No.2. Do you want to be No.2? If you’re Arsenal, you want to buy him because he’s a great No.2 to have. But if you’re Kepa, you want to play unless you’re happy to sit on the bench”.
Despite the concerns over playing time, Arsenal’s acquisition of Kepa for just £5 million represents a bargain deal, especially considering his previous world-record transfer fee. His arrival will provide Arteta with much-needed depth in the goalkeeping department as the club aims to challenge for major honors next season.
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