Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is reportedly ready to take a pay cut to join Serie A side Lazio this summer.
According to Italian publication Il Messaggero, Lazio have turned their attention towards Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who could reunite with former Blues boss Maurizio Sarri. The Spaniard has fallen down the pecking order at Chelsea and is reportedly ready to take a pay cut to make the move to Italy.
Signing a goalkeeper is high on the priority list of Lazio, who were heavily interested in Atalanta’s 21-year-old shot-stopper Marco Carnesecchi. The Serie A giants were reportedly on the verge of closing out the deal when the Italy under-21 international injured his left shoulder in training.
Lazio had prepared a loan offer for Carnesecchi with the option of making the move permanent next year for €12 million. However, the shoulder injury could rule him out for more than two months, meaning Lazio have been forced to look elsewhere, which could also seriously affect their transfer plans.
Sarri is inclined to make a move for Kepa, with the report claiming that the Chelsea outcast’s entourage have been contacted over a possible summer move. The 27-year-old still has three years remaining on his contract with the Blues, but it is highly unlikely that he will see an improvement in game time as long as Edouard Mendy is at Stamford Bridge.
With just 29 appearances across competitions for Chelsea over the last two seasons, it comes as no surprise that Kepa wants to move to greener pastures. Though Lazio have emerged as a potential option, his current wages could stand as a problem.
The former Athletic Bilbao star currently earns €8 million per year at Chelsea, which Lazio could struggle to match. But they could have their problem solved by the Chelsea outcast himself, as he is ready to take a pay cut to reunite with his former manager in Serie A.
With the FIFA World Cup coming up later this year, Kepa will want regular game time under his belt to stake a claim for a spot in Luis Enrique’s Spain side. He has also been linked with moves to Villarreal, Newcastle United and Juventus recently.
