Napoli enquire about taking Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan
Italian outfit Napoli have enquired about taking Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan this summer. This is according to the Daily Mail (h/t football.london), who report that Napoli are interested in the shot-stopper.
The 27-year-old was signed for a world-record fee of £71.6 million back in 2018 from the Spanish side Athletic Bilbao, making him the most expensive goalkeeper in the world. Having enjoyed regular game time, a series of regular errors forced Chelsea back into the market for a keeper and since then he has found limited first-team opportunities.
Edouard Mendy was signed from French outfit Stade Rennais in 2020 and has been the number one for Chelsea since then. Kepa had to settle for the bench and cup appearances. Now Napoli has offered the Spaniard a chance to regain his form and game-time.
Current Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret has been targeted by the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Everton this summer and they have identified Kepa as a potential replacement for him. The Spaniard made the headlines when he refused to be substituted in 2019 for the Carabao Cup final, in which Chelsea went on to lose 4-3 on penalties to Manchester City.
He had a chance at redemption last season, when he was substituted for Mendy in the Carabao Cup final; but failed to save a single a single shot before missing the deciding spot kick and lost the final to Liverpool 11-10 on penalties.
Now he has a chance to play someplace else where he could have the opportunity to rekindle his form from Bilbao and that should come as good news to both the player and club.
It is very unlikely that Kepa’s place in the team will change next season. With Mendy having established himself as the undisputed number one choice at Chelsea, it would be wise for Kepa to go out on loan and get some more playing time.
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With the World Cup in November, Kepa would like to have some games under his belt so that he can the Spain squad for the cup. Should Kepa leave this summer, it would leave Tuchel with Mendy and Marcus Bettinelli as their senior goalkeepers.
