Chelsea seal €80m keeper signing to replace Real-bound Courtois

Joe Williams
Kepa Arrizabalaga Spain

Chelsea have agreed a deal to bring Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to Stamford Bridge, according to reports.

The Blues have been on the lookout for a goalkeeper to replace Thibaut Courtois who looks likely to join Real Madrid this summer with the Belgian stopper missing training for the second day in a row.

Spanish newspaper Marca claims that Chelsea have ‘sealed a deal’ to sign Kepa after they agreed to pay the Spaniard’s £72million (€80million) release clause.

That fee would be more than the current world-record fee for a goalkeeper that saw Liverpool sign Alisson from Roma this summer for £66.8million.

The report continues by saying that the deal for Kepa should be tied up tomorrow when the player flies to London by private jet.

That would mean his first match could be Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Huddersfield over the weekend.

Mateo Kovacic could also be confirmed tomorrow in a double announcement with Marca also reporting that the Croatian has agreed to join Chelsea on loan from Real Madrid.

The midfielder had been refusing to train with the rest of the Real squad as he looked to force a move away from the Bernabeu.

 

Fancy the latest news on the Blues? Like our dedicated Chelsea Facebook page to get it straight to your timeline