Premier League giants Chelsea engaged in some record-breaking transfer moves on Wednesday. The club announced that they had signed Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from La Liga’s Atletic Bilbao by activating his release clause. This means that Chelsea paid a fee of $93 million and made Kepa the world’s most expensive goalkeeper. The previous record was held by Alisson Becker, who came to Liverpool from Roma this summer in a transfer worth $86 million.
Chelsea confirmed their capture of Kepa on their social media.
Kepa is a Chelsea player! 👊#WelcomeKepa pic.twitter.com/Tt2kLIOqU8
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 8, 2018
Kepa will have his first training with the club on Thursday and is expected to be in the first team for Chelsea’s clash with Huddersfield on Saturday.
“It’s a very important decision for me, for my career, and also for my personal life,” – the 23-year-old told Chelsea’s club website after passing his medical. “So many things attracted me to the club, all the titles the club has won, the other players, the city, the English Premier League. It’s an accumulation of things, and I am very glad Chelsea has decided to trust me and to take me in as well.”
Chelsea brought in Kepa Arrizabalaga after their starting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to Real Madrid. The club hopes the Spaniard can be their long-term solution on the goal, and their decision to give him a seven-year deal certainly shows that.
“Kepa is a talent we have admired for a long time, and we are extremely excited about his arrival.” –said Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia. “He has already demonstrated fantastic quality and consistency and will be a big part of any success Chelsea have in the coming years.”
Kepa Arrizabalaga spent his entire career with Athletic Bilbao and made his debut for the first team in 2016. He played 30 games for Athletic in the last season and managed to keep seven clean sheets while also providing some memorable performances which made him one of the most sought-after goalies on the market.
