Kepa Arrizabalaga has seen his loan deal with Real Madrid expire, and he has made it clear, many times, he wants to stay at the Bernabeu. He is hoping for a permanent move, but he’s also willing to accept another loan deal, if needs be.
In the mean time, he really has no choice but to go back to his parent club, and they are about to depart for a preseason tour of the United States. Will Kepa be in the squad?
Preseason Friendly FYIs
Wrexham AFC vs Chelsea FC
Kickoff (local time): wed July 24, 9:30 pm, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA, USA
Chelsea Preview Content: Team News Starting XI Prediction Transfer Talk
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
The Spanish shot stopper might be best served by training with his Chelsea, and even playing in the preseason clashes, as it would keep him fresh.
Chelsea would like to offload him, as that would serve as an effective salary shed. There was reportedly interest from Saudi Arabia, but the offer didn’t meet Chelsea’s demands.
The future of Arrizabalaga depends on Andriy Lunin. If Lunin stays at Madrid, then there is no place for the world’s all-time most expensive goalkeeper in the Spanish capital. If Lunin leaves, then Kepa might get his wish after all. Lunin has been linked to Chelsea itself, with trade rumors swirling that he could move to west London.
However, this oh-so-convenient narrative has since been shot down by Fabrizio Romano, and he would know, so it’s highly unlikely that Lunin actually makes the switch to the Blues.
Interestingly enough, the other major goalkeeper at Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois, is also a former Chelsea player. So it is all related. Indeed
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.