ARSENAL are considering a shock move to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, according to reports.
Kepa, 30, spent this season on loan with Bournemouth, where he kept eight clean sheets in 31 Premier League appearances.
The Spanish shot-stopper is surplus to requirements at Chelsea, who signed him for £72million in 2018 – a record fee for a goalkeeper.
But his time with The Blues didn’t go to plan and Kepa has since been on loan with Bournemouth and Real Madrid, last playing for Chelsea in 2023.
It now looks like a permanent exit is on the cards after Sky Sports revealed that Arsenal are interested in signing Kepa to provide backup for David Raya.
Kepa is thought to be available for just £5MILLION thanks to a release clause in his contract that was agreed prior to his loan move to the Cherries last summer.
Should the Gunners convince Kepa to jump ship to North London, they would be securing his services for over 14 TIMES less than Chelsea payed for him at first.
Kepa’s current contract with Chelsea expires in 2026.
Bournemouth keeper Neto spent last season on loan with Arsenal, making just one appearance across the entire campaign.
Arsenal had been linked with a move to sign Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia this summer, but the La Liga gloveman now looks set for a move to Barcelona.
Mikel Arteta and his team are hoping to add depth in between the sticks, but are thought to still see David Raya as the number one.
Raya has won consecutive Golden Glove awards since his arrival from Brentford, forming the base of the Premier League’s most formidable defence this season.
For Arteta, the main focus will be on bringing in a centre-forward.
Arsenal are crying out for a front man this summer after injuries forced midfielder Mikel Merino to play up front for the latter stages of the campaign.
Reports have suggested that one of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko or Sporting bagsman Viktor Gyokeres will come through the door at the Emirates in the coming months.
However, both deals are likely to be expensive and neither player is without suitors from other top clubs around Europe too.
Read the full article here