Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has expressed his desire to join Real Madrid on a permanent transfer once his loan spell is up.
Mauricio Pochettino had to navigate a difficult summer transfer window as 14 first team players left the club on a permanent basis.
Along with cashing in on several of their unwanted stars, Chelsea also utilised the loan market to offload the players deemed surplus to requirements by Pochettino.
Romelu Lukaku joined Roma on loan for the season and they also offloaded the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Kepa on loan deals for the year.
Bayern Munich also expressed an interest in signing the Spanish goalkeeper, but Kepa didn’t hesitate once Real Madrid joined the race for his signature.
With Thibaut Courtois sidelined for the foreseeable future with an ACL injury, the Chelsea loanee will occupy the number one spot at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The 28-year-old goalkeeper recently gave an interview with El Larguero and expressed his desire to make the move permanent once his loan spell is up.
Kepa assured that he “would love to stay” during the interview. The goalkeeper has quickly settled into life in Spain and has enjoyed his first few weeks at the club.
“I have just arrived, I have been there for two weeks, we are going to see it and I am delighted to stay,” Kepa explained.
“We also have to reach an agreement, we have to see many things, there is a lot of time left, but I am always willing to fight, to improve and in the end and ultimately for us to achieve success as a team.”
Kepa’s contract situation
Pochettino will be hoping that Kepa impresses while out on loan so that Chelsea can cash in on the 28-year-old next summer. While they are unlikely to receive anything near the £71.6m they originally paid, they could still receive a sizeable fee.
The goalkeeper is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2025 and so next summer will be Chelsea’s last chance to cash in unless they decide to extend his contract.
Kepa has made a decent start to life back in Spain as he boasts a respectable save percentage of 83.3% with Real Madrid after his first two matches.
In a different interview with COPE, the Spanish goalkeeper provided some extra insight into why he decided to part ways with Chelsea this summer.
“I felt it was time for a change of scenery. I wanted to stay, but I felt that the project was not the right one. When Madrid calls you, everything changes. My signing was closed in just a few hours and a couple of calls.”
Kepa will need to impress this season in order for Real Madrid to make a permanent move next summer. The Spanish club don’t have the option to buy included in the deal, but this could be discussed upon the loan ending.
