Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is heading for a Chelsea exit this summer, but a permanent move to Bournemouth is highly unlikely.
That’s according to journalist Luca Bendoni, who claims Arrizabalaga and Bournemouth are exploring other options rather than sticking together.
The 30-year-old spent the season on loan at Bournemouth and made 31 appearances in the Premier League under manager Andoni Iraola.
He kept eight clean sheets and another one in four FA Cup games.
Arrizabalaga has enjoyed a decent loan spell with the Cherries, establishing himself as a reliable presence in goal.
Unfortunately, that won’t translate into a permanent deal this summer, but not for the lack of trying.
Bournemouth had already made a move to keep the Spaniard at the club, but to no avail, so both sides are now considering other options.
Arrizabalaga has plenty of admirers in England and abroad. The Blues are desperate to get him off their wage bill and could get their wish this summer.
Before making the switch to the south coast last summer, Arrizabalaga extended his Chelsea contract by one year, keeping him on the club’s payroll until June 2026.
There was also a £5 million release clause in the contract, which is now open for interested clubs.
The move was designed to protect the Blues’ transfer interests, allowing them to potentially recoup some value for a player who once held the title of the world’s most expensive goalkeeper.
Arrizabalaga has no hope of returning to Chelsea. The Blues have other plans and are already stacked in the goalkeeping department.
They’re still pondering what to do with Robert Sanchez, Djordje Petrovic and Filip Jorgensen. Mike Penders, who has turned heads with an exceptional loan spell at KRC Genk, is another option.
Chelsea’s initial idea was to give Petrovic and Penders a chance to displace Sanchez as the club’s number-one shot-stopper.
However, there have been talks of another loan deal for Penders while Petrovic’s future remains uncertain despite a transformative spell at RC Strasbourg.
