Expensive Chelsea star told ‘striking’ reason why he needs to quit

Kepa Arrizabalaga must look for a new club to “recover mentally” from his struggles at Chelsea, according to one journalist.

Arrizabalaga arrived at Stamford Bridge two years ago as the world’s most expensive goalkeeper. However, a series of blunders has led to him losing the number one spot.

Frank Lampard dropped him in favour of veteran backup Willy Caballero on numerous occasions last season. Things then became even more complicated for Kepa when Chelsea signed Edouard Mendy to be their new first-choice keeper this summer.

There were plenty of rumours that Kepa could leave Chelsea during the transfer window, but the Blues ultimately failed to find a buyer for the Spaniard.

His long-term prospects at Stamford Bridge still look bleak, though. Chelsea have even registered retired goalkeeper Petr Cech in their Premier League squad, in a further sign of their lack of faith in Kepa.

Fresh rumours of an exit have resurfaced, with talk of a potential departure in January. And that’s something Kepa must pursue, according to Spanish journalist Miguel Venegas.

“It’s very bad for Kepa who hasn’t even been on the bench today and also that Mendy is doing very well in goal,” Venegas told Onda Cero.

“It’s clear that since January they have taken him away and put in Willy Caballero instead. It’s also striking that they’ve signed Edouard Mendy.

“It’s logical that he won’t end up on the bench so I suppose he’ll have to look for a way out.

“Hopefully, he’ll find a good one to return to his level because he needs to recover mentally.”

 

Kepa putting Lampard at risk

Recently, one pundit suggested that Kepa’s mistakes could cost Lampard his job – but on the flipside, dropping him further down the pecking order would do further damage to him psychologically.

“I would pick anybody except Kepa,” Darren Bent told talkSPORT last week. “I probably would go Petr Cech over Kepa but then you think to yourself that he has no confidence already, it is gone, it is on the floor, he has got none.

“If you go and play Petr Cech over him as well, what happens then? But what else can you do?


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“Every time he plays Kepa he makes a mistake, he costs goals and he costs points.

“If you keep putting a goalkeeper out there and he keeps making mistakes, costing you points by the way, you can’t keep putting him out there.

“He might cost Frank Lampard his job if he doesn’t win many games.”

READ MORE: Petr Cech better than Chelsea keepers in training, says insider