Arsenal have completed the permanent signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for just £5 million, securing a goalkeeper once valued at more than fifteen times that amount.
The 30-year-old arrives in north London as experienced cover for David Raya, accepting a role he is already familiar with after spells as understudy at both Chelsea and Real Madrid.
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: Erling Haaland of Manchester City heads the ball inside the AFC Bournemouth penalty area whilst under pressure from Kepa Arrizabalaga and Illya Zabarnyi of AFC Bournemouth during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester City at Vitality Stadium on March 30, 2025 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
The Gunners activated Kepa’s release clause earlier this week and have now made the move official. He is expected to join up with the squad for pre-season training and provide a dependable alternative in goal as Mikel Arteta reshapes the squad for another title challenge.
Kepa said about the move, “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.”
Mikel Arteta added, “We are really happy to have Kepa joining us. He is a player we know, having come up against him many times in recent seasons. He brings a wealth of experience, which his teammates will benefit from, and he has a real hunger to win.
“Kepa works hard and will elevate our levels. I know he will fit in perfectly, already knowing some of his teammates, and we are really excited about his future with us.”
Kepa with Andrea Berta (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Photo via Arsenal.com
Andrea Berta said,”We are really excited to have Kepa join our Arsenal family. He is a player with great experience, someone who has already won major trophies, and we cannot wait for him to join the group and help the club win.
“Kepa knows it is an exciting time to be at Arsenal and we know he is a player who will bring with him a winning mentality. We welcome him and his family to the club, and look forward to him meeting the players and staff, with everyone excited to see him.”
Kepa became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper in 2018 when Chelsea paid Athletic Club €80 million to trigger his clause. Though his time at Stamford Bridge was chequered, from Europa League glory under Maurizio Sarri to high-profile demotions under Frank Lampard, he remained a figure of professionalism. His willingness to serve as backup was evident again at Real Madrid, where he began the 2023–24 campaign as Thibaut Courtois’s injury replacement, only to lose the shirt to Andriy Lunin, a situation he accepted without protest.
The fee, less than what most Premier League sides spend on third-choice keepers, represents outstanding value for a player of his pedigree and experience.
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