Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ittihad are keen on acquiring the services of Chelsea shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of next season.
According to Rudy Galetti, Al-Ittihad are looking to bring in a new world-class goalkeeper this summer and Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga is one of the names on their wishlist. They the Spanish international is no longer a part of the plans at the London club and with him available for a transfer, the Saudi club are considering making a move for him.
Arrizabalaga came up the ranks at Athletic Club Bilbao and made a name for himself while playing for their first team before making a big-money move to Chelsea. While he was an integral part of the first team in the initial years, a lot has changed recent past.
Arrizabalaga’s loan spell at Real Madrid
He was surplus to requirement last season and they ended up sending him out on loan to Real Madrid. Thibaut Courtois suffered an ACL tear at the star and Arrizabalaga was signed to replace the Belgian.
While he did an incredible job in goal for Los Blancos, an injury break gave Andriy Lunin a chance to show his class and he ended up making the position his own until the return to Courtois.
After an impressive loan spell at Madrid, the 29-year-old is back at Chelsea. But, he is not a part of their plans moving ahead and with just a year left on his contract, the Blues are ready to cash in on him.
While the option of a potential return to Real Madrid is still open, it will only happen if Lunin ends up leaving. The Spanish giants have offered him a new deal on the back of his heroics but he is still unsure about continuing at the club as a cover to Courtois.
Al-Itthad interested in Arrizabalaga
Reports suggest Arrizabalaga is willing to wait for the Champions League winners to approach him but that is not going to stop teams who are interested in him from making a move. Al-Ittihad who have added quite a few superstars to their squad over the past few windows want to make further additions this summer.
They want to strengthen their backline and are looking to bring in a new goalkeeper. The Saudi Pro League club are in talks with Brazilian shot-stopper Bento regarding a potential transfer. He is their priority for the goalkeeping position but they have also approached Arrizabalaga who is considered a suitable alternative in case they fail to reach an agreement with the 25-year-old.
Given the kind of performances the Spanish international had during his season-long loan at Real Madrid, it is quite clear that his arrival could be a huge boost for the Middle Eastern club. As a result, it will be interesting to see how things develop from here.
