Chelsea recorded a 94% loss by selling Kepa Arrizabalaga (31).
Arsenal announced the signing of Spain national team goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga through the club's official website on the 1st. Kepa has been assigned the number 13 jersey and is expected to join team training once the official transfer procedures are completed.
With this transfer, Kepa now faces the challenge of proving his worth in the Premier League once again. He recorded the highest goalkeeper transfer fee ever at £80 million (approximately 149 billion won) when he joined Chelsea after leaving Athletic Bilbao in August 2018. However, he did not showcase the performance that was expected.
During his first season with Chelsea in the 2018-2019 season, Kepa conceded 39 goals in 36 league matches and recorded 14 clean sheets, but his performance declined thereafter. In the 2019-2020 season, he conceded 47 goals in 33 matches, and the number of clean sheets was limited to eight, failing to maintain his starting position. Ultimately, Chelsea brought in Édouard Mendy in 2020 to replace the starting goalkeeper, and Kepa gradually found himself relegated to the bench.
Over the past two seasons, Kepa was loaned to Real Madrid and AFC Bournemouth while under contract with Chelsea. In particular, in the 2023-2024 season, he played a total of 35 matches for Bournemouth, and experienced victory in the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid.
He did not have guaranteed consistent appearances and a secured starting position. Arsenal made the decision to sign him, noting his experience and the potential for a rebound.
According to Arsenal's official website, head coach Mikel Arteta said, "We know Kepa well. We have faced him in recent seasons, and his experience will be a great asset to the team. His strong competitiveness and dedication give us hope that he will integrate well into our team."
Kepa also expressed his excitement about the new start, stating, "I was impressed by the ambitions of this club and the desire for victory shown by Arteta and Coach Inaki. We have gotten closer to winning, and I hope we can achieve it together."
Meanwhile, according to reports from several local British media, Kepa's transfer fee is estimated to be £5 million (approximately 9.3 billion won). This amount corresponds to 6.24% of the amount Chelsea originally spent on his acquisition.
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