Real Madrid are closing in on signing 28-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga as they look for a Thibaut Courtois cover.
According to Florian Plettenberg, Kepa Arrizabalaga is on the verge of joining Real Madrid in the ongoing transfer window. The 28-year-old Chelsea goalkeeping mainstay is the first-choice stopper at Stamford Bridge. But the Blues are still ready to offload him this summer.
Kepa Arrizabalaga came through the ranks at Athletic Club before joining Chelsea in the summer of 2018. The Spanish international joined the Blues for a world record fee for a goalkeeper of around €80 million. In the initial years, the 28-year-old was a constant feature in their starting XI.
But soon, he was replaced by Edouard Mendy. Last season, both Mendy and Kepa were far from their best. They struggled and so did the team. On the back of their disappointing performances, Chelsea decided to take action.
Mendy has already left the club for the Saudi Pro League, and the Spanish international might soon be on his way out. Meanwhile, the Blues have already signed Robert Sanchez, who could become their number one moving ahead if Kepa leaves.
❗️Excl. News #Kepa: He is close to reject FC Bayern as there was the feeling for the club that he wanted to join them. But there were no agreements as reported.
➡️ Kepa, NOW on verge to join @realmadrid to replace Courtois. Bayern informed. @SkySportDE 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/zWSF8Q8RgH
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) August 12, 2023
Bayern Munich have also been keen on having Kepa in their ranks. The Bundesliga champions have sold Yann Sommer to Inter Milan and are looking for a cover for their number-one Manuel Neuer who is unlikely to be available in the first half of the season.
The German giants approached the 28-year-old over a potential transfer, but he has rejected the opportunity to join them. The Spanish internaitonal wants to join Real Madrid. And according to Florian Plettenberg, the Chelsea shot-stopper is on the verge of joining the Spanish giants.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men received a huge blow when their number one Thibaut Courtois suffered an ACL injury. His injury needs surgery, and the Belgian international is expected to be out of action for months to come. As a result, they have been actively looking for a new shot-stopper.
Real Madrid have been linked with quite a few goalkeepers, including Yassine Bounou over the past 24 hours, and Kepa is one of the names on the list. The Spaniard is keen on making to move to the Spanish capital half a decade after a proposed transfer collapsed. And the report suggests that a deal is on the verge of being completed.
