Chelsea flop Kepa Arrizabalaga ‘dream target’ for boss who wanted to sign him at Arsenal

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The world’s most expensive goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is being lined up for a shock return to Athletic Club. The Chelsea flop – who cost a club-record £71million – joined the Blues from his boyhood side in the summer of 2018 but has since failed to live up to expectations in west London.

Kepa came through the ranks in the Basque Country after joining the club’s youth academy way back in 2004.

He went on to make over 50 appearances for the senior team and was capped by Spain before catching the eye of Chelsea’s recruitment team.

Arrizabalaga was expected to exceed David de Gea and become Spain’s No 1 goalkeeper. Real Madrid also wanted to sign him before they landed Thibaut Courtois.

When the Belgian left Chelsea for the Spanish capital in 2018, it was Marina Granovskaia who made her move for Kepa after missing out on Alisson to Liverpool.

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She eventually negotiated a blockbuster deal worth £71m, a fee that has proved to be an expensive mistake for the Blues.

With Edouard Mendy now the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper at the club, Chelsea are keen to get Kepa off the books.

But ideally they would like to recoup a large percentage of the mammoth figure they paid Athletic nearly three years ago.

According to Spanish outlet El Gol Digital, the La Liga outfit are now keen on re-signing their former goalkeeper.

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New boss Marcelino has ambitious plans at the San Mames and has been a fan of Kepa for many years.

The report adds that he ‘wanted to take’ Arrizabalaga to Arsenal when he held talks with the Gunners in England following the dismissal of Unai Emery.

Now Marcelino is alleged to have requested three dream signings to the Athletic board, as he looks to lead his side back into Europe.

He wants Kepa, Bayern Munich’s Javi Martinez and former Tottenham striker Fernando Llorente back at the club.

All three played for Athletic in the early stages of their careers and crucially fit the Basque criteria.

Athletic only sign players who have local roots meaning their options in the transfer market are extremely limited.

It’s unclear whether the club would have the financial muscle to re-sign Arrizabalaga, who Chelsea value at around £50m.

Last summer there was interest from both Valencia and Sevilla as Chelsea looked to agree a loan plus option to buy but that proved difficult due to the financial implications of the coronavirus crisis. 

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