Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has officially completed his reportedly €80 million (£71.5m) transfer from Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea FC. Arrizabalaga is now the most expensive goalkeeper in history. The previous record was set just three weeks ago when Liverpool signed Alisson Becker from AS Roma for £67 million.
Arrizabalaga completed his Chelsea medical Wednesday afternoon, and the club unveiled him as a new member of the club Wednesday night. Just over an hour ago, Stamford Bridge sent out a release confirming the completion of the deal.
Kepa is a Chelsea player! ?#WelcomeKepa pic.twitter.com/Tt2kLIOqU8
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 8, 2018
“It’s a very important decision for me, for my career, and also for my personal life,” said the Ondorra, Basque Country in Spain native.
“So many things attracted me to the club, all the titles the club has won, the other players, the city, the English Premier League. It’s an accumulation of things, and I am very glad Chelsea has decided to trust me and to take me in as well.”
Director Marina Granovskaia said of the 23-year-old: “Kepa is a talent we have admired for a long time and we are extremely excited about his arrival. He has already demonstrated fantastic quality and consistency and will be a big part of any success Chelsea have in the coming years.”
“His long-term contract reflects the belief we have in him and we look ahead to the coming seasons with an enormous sense of optimism.”
Apparently you can catch his first interview as a member of the club in a 8 1/2 hours!
Set your alarms! ?
You don't want to miss @kepa_46's first interview as a Blue in the Chelsea app tomorrow morning – 8am (UK)! ?
? https://t.co/zhGX5RrZrE #WelcomeKepa pic.twitter.com/3eOCzl1eVS
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 8, 2018
Arrizabalaga replaces Thibaut Courtois, who leaves for Real Madrid; coming the other way as part of a swap deal is midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who comes over on a season long loan move.
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