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Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is reported to have made a U-turn on his stance over a permanent move to AFC Bournemouth.
AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is open to making his loan move from Chelsea into a permanent deal this summer, in what is a U-turn on reports from December which suggested that the shot-stopper did not see his long-term future at the Vitality Stadium.
Football Insider claim that Kepa is now ‘keen’ to move to the south coast side permanently in a bid to end his time at Stamford Bridge. The Spain international joined the Blues in 2018 but eventually fell out of favour with a loan spell at Real Madrid last season before heading to AFC Bournemouth last summer.
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Kepa has made 23 appearances in all competitions this term and earned the praise of Cherries boss Andoni Iraola. Former Man Utd and Blackburn Rovers chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider: “Arrizabalaga has spent the season on loan at Bournemouth. He’s been doing really well there and he’s established himself as a major part of that side.
Kepa happy to be ‘away from pressure’ at Chelsea
“From what I hear, he doesn’t want to go back to Chelsea, he’s happy at Bournemouth. He’s been able to get away from all the pressure he was under playing for Chelsea and just focus on his game and that’s been clear to see in his performances. I think playing under Iraola has helped him too, he looks more confident in that side.
“What do Chelsea do about that, though, because they want a goalkeeper and he’s only on loan. These things are never straight forward, there’s always different issues involved. The two clubs will have to come to some sort of agreement if he wants to stay at Bournemouth and Bournemouth want to keep him. But it will be up to Chelsea at the end of the day because he’s still their player.”
Chelsea paid a huge £71.6 million to sign Kepa from Athletic Bilbao in 2018 and it seems impossible that AFC Bournemouth will pay such a fee. The goalkeeper is contracted at Stamford Bridge until 2026 so any exit will need to come at a price.
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Reports of Kepa’s interest in staying at the club come in contrast to what was claimed in December. Spanish outfit Marca claimed at that stage that Kepa did not want a permanent move and that it would therefore be ‘difficult’ for AFC Bournemouth to pursue that.
Enzo Maresca faces Chelsea goalkeeper conundrum
It was added that Iraola was hopeful that he would be able to convince the player to stay, and it appears that he has done that. Speaking at the end of December after an impressive showing from the goalkeeper in the 3-0 win at Old Trafford, the Cherries boss said: “Today, he has been amazing.
“I think he's looking very solid, he has done some very good games, the last ones. But today he had, apart from the good decisions on the ball, in a backline that is very, very young, I think we need this experience like calm, he shows from Adam [Smith], from Lewis Cook, from Kepa to help the other players. And apart from that he has very good shot saving, let's say. But it makes the performance very good.”
Kepa’s willingness to leave Chelsea would certainly be a boost for the Blues. The player has no future under Enzo Maresca, who already has a goalkeeping conundrum on his hands.
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The former Leicester City manager is struggling to decide between Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen as his number one shot-stopper, with neither big name happy to settle for a place as back-up.
A sale of one of the players seems inevitable this summer, to end that goalkeeping saga and balance the books. A willing Kepa departure saves making that headache even more of a problem.
In other news, former West Ham and Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui has been linked with a sensational return to Premier League management.