Real Madrid sign goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan
Posted : 14 August 2023
Real Madrid has secured the services of Spain's goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, from Chelsea through a season-long loan agreement.
The 28-year-old will step in to support Real Madrid's primary goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, who is expected to be sidelined for a significant portion of the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Kepa boasts an impressive record of 163 appearances for Chelsea, a club he joined from Athletic Bilbao for a record-breaking fee of £71 million in August 2018, establishing him as the most expensive goalkeeper acquisition to date.
During his time at Chelsea, Kepa faced stiff competition for the starting position, particularly from new signing Robert Sanchez, who arrived from Brighton over the summer. Sanchez, also hailing from Spain, was handed the starting role in Chelsea's Premier League opener against Liverpool.
Notably, Chelsea had previously sold Senegal's international goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, to Al-Ahli, a team in the Saudi Pro League, earlier in the summer transfer window.
Kepa's departure now leaves Marcus Bettinelli, a 31-year-old goalkeeper, as the sole senior option in the squad. Supporting him are the youthful talents of 20-year-old Lucas Bergstrom and 19-year-old Eddie Beach.
In a strong start to their campaign, Real Madrid secured a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. England's midfielder, Jude Bellingham, who recently joined for £88.5 million from Borussia Dortmund, also found the net in the match.
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