Chelsea will consider offers for Kepa Arrizabalaga this summer after the world’s most expensive goalkeeper said that he wants to play more.
The Spain international, 27, plans to speak with manager Thomas Tuchel about his future at the beginning of pre-season but the club will not stand in his way should an acceptable bid be submitted. He could also be loaned out if it makes financial sense.
Few of Europe’s biggest clubs are in search of a first-choice stopper this summer but Ligue 1 side Nice are reportedly interested. Kepa is under contract at Chelsea until the summer of 2025 and earns around £150,000 per week, with any potential loan hinging on the borrowing club being willing to pay the majority of his wages.
There has been an acceptance within the club for several months that Kepa - the £72million signing who has served as deputy to Edouard Mendy for the past two seasons - deserves to be playing weekly but that is not possible when the Senegalese has been in such outstanding form.
In an interview with Spanish outlet Marca published on Friday morning, Kepa said that he is “not desperate” to leave but his “clear objective is to play.”
He has had a largely torrid time since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Athletic Bilbao as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois in the summer of 2018. He infamously refused to be substituted in the EFL Cup final during his debut season and was then jettisoned from the team by Frank Lampard late in the following campaign because of a series of high-profile errors and a crisis of confidence.
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Mendy’s arrival from Rennes in the summer of 2020 relegated Kepa to second choice and while he has performed decently when called upon - notably during the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of the year - there is little prospect of him becoming No. 1 in the near future.
“Right now I am a Chelsea player, but what I am clear about is that I want to play more, because I come from a year or two where, when I have played, I have had a great performance,” Kepa said.
“For that reason, because of that good performance I had, the feeling is that I want more. I want to play more. I am at Chelsea and I want to succeed here. And if it wasn't possible, we would analyse other different things, because my clear objective is to play.”
Asked if his patience has reached its limit, Kepa added: “I am not desperate. In the end, I'm at a great club... I'll talk to the coach and we'll decide, but with the clear message that I want to play more.”
