Arsenal have announced the signing of Spanish international goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea on a three year contract. The club have activated his £5million release clause in his Chelsea contract in what is seen as a financially astute deal by the Gunners.
Kepa becomes the ninth goalkeeper to be signed in the Mikel Arteta era, following Neto, David Raya, Tommy Setford, Lucas Nygaard, Matt Turner, Aaron Ramsdale, Runar Alex Runarsson and Mat Ryan.
Kepa still holds the record for being the most expensive goalkeeper ever signed by a club when he joined Chelsea from Athletic Club in 2018 for a fee of £71.6million. He made 163 appearances for the Blues and joins former teammate Kai Havertz at the club.
He spent time on loan with Real Madrid, where he made 20 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti’s side while Thibaut Courtois was injured. He spent his final season with Chelsea on loan with Bournemouth, where he played 31 times in the Premier League and finished sixth in the Golden Glove standings with eight clean sheets despite missing seven matches in the campaign.
Kepa is determined, football.london understands, not to be considered simply as a number two at his new club. Raya has been the undisputed number one since taking over from Ramsdale and has won the Golden Glove in back-to-back seasons.
Kepa will join the team for their pre-season training which begins the week commencing July 7. He will then make his debut on their pre-season tour of Asia with the first chance against AC Milan on July 23.
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