Chelsea have been making more expensive deals this summer, bringing in Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian, and Joao Felix to an attack that struggled outside of Premier League Player of the Season contender Cole Palmer.
But just as Chelsea have seemingly been stockpiling on wingers, they have been just as aggressive at cornering the goalkeeper market, with some joking that Todd Boehly’s obsession is out of a desire to monopolize young goalkeepers on the transfer market.
This summer alone, Chelsea have signed Villarreal’s breakout star Filip Jorgensen, who will likely be the new starter ahead of Robert Sanchez – yet another Chelsea transfer bust.
Kepa Arrizabalaga was one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League in the 2022/23 season, but the Spaniard has now become the odd man out for some puzzling reason.
After a loan move to Real Madrid last season in which he was discarded in favor of breakout superstar Andriy Lunin following former Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois’ season-ending injury, Kepa is looking for a new destination.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, that landing spot could be within the Premier League, as Chelsea are currently in talks with Bournemouth regarding a loan move for Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Problematically for Chelsea, as Ben Jacobs reports, Kepa would have to both extend his contract and likely take reduced wages in order to facilitate a move to Bournemouth, who obviously do not have the financial resources that Chelsea or Real Madrid have.
Kepa would be a clear star player for Bournemouth, just as he was honestly a star for Chelsea in the difficult 2022/23 season before being cast aside for a significantly worse player in Sanchez.
There is no turning back between Kepa and Chelsea, and the Blues will have to hope that he is willing to play nice in order to get his next move. Bournemouth could be a good spot for him in the spotlight of the Premier League, because if he shines this season, maybe that giant club will take him as a starter – and maybe that giant club will be Chelsea with a change of heart.