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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Nizaar Kinsella

Chelsea: Kepa Arrizabalaga in advanced talks to seal Napoli loan as Blues agree to pick up bulk of £190k wages

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is in advanced talks over a loan transfer to Napoli.

The world’s most expensive goalkeeper, who Chelsea paid £71.6million for in 2018, is unhappy with his status as back-up to Edouard Mendy at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are ready to allow Kepa to leave as they close in on the £12m signing of USA Under-20s goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina from Chicago Fire.

Should Kepa join Napoli, Chelsea would cover a large chunk of his £190,000-a-week wages.

Kepa lost his place as Chelsea No1 after Mendy joined in a £22m deal from Rennes in 2020.

Napoli want to sign a goalkeeper as they target another title push in Serie A next season.

Chelsea have beaten rival approaches from Real Madrid and Wolves to sign Slonina, who will be sent back to Chicago Fire on loan so he can finish the MLS season with them.

The 18-year-old has already played 34 senior games and is chasing the MLS clean sheet record.

Slonina was over the weekend given the go-ahead to fly to London, complete a medical and sign the paperwork to join Chelsea.

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