Kepa Arrizabalaga has joined Arsenal from Chelsea on a permanent contract after the Spaniard’s £5million release clause was activated by the club. The Spaniard is hoping to make a breakthrough at the north London side after he signed on to a three-year contract with the Gunners through until 2028.
football.london understood ahead of his arrival that Kepa was not looking at his move as conceding his position as a potential number two and instead wants to try and challenge David Raya as the team’s number one. This will certainly be a challenge as Raya has won back-to-back Golden Glove awards in the past two seasons and was voted into the Premier League team of the year for the 2023/24 season.
Speaking to the club’s website after his move from rivals Chelsea was confirmed, Kepa said: “I'm really, really happy to be here, really excited and looking forward to what is coming.
“The ambition that is shown in this club, when I talk with Mikel [Arteta] and Inaki [Cana], how much they show me their desire to win… I think we are so close to winning and, hopefully, altogether, we can achieve it.”
Kepa will join the team for pre-season training and subsequently the pre-season tour of Asia, where the team will play games against AC Milan, Newcastle, and Tottenham Hotspur. He could make his debut in any of the matches as Mikel Arteta looks to familiarise himself with a new-look squad. Kepa is expected to be the first of several summer additions.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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