Chelsea FINALLY find buyer for €80m flop

Bournemouth are ready to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga permanently this summer, according to a report.

The much-maligned Blues shot-stopper is spending the season on loan at the Vitality Stadium. Kepa returned to Chelsea from a loan at Real Madrid last summer, but no club was willing to sign the 30-year-old permanently.

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Kepa himself had wanted to stay in Madrid, but with Thibaut Courtois returning from his long-term injury, Los Blancos no longer had any need for the former Athletic Club man.

Instead, he moved to a completely different environment by joining Bournemouth. It was a good decision as the Cherries are in the midst of a brilliant season and could qualify for Europe come the end of the campaign.

Although Kepa has made some mistakes, Andoni Iraola is said to be very happy with his compatriot and wants to keep him around.

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Bournemouth to sign Kepa

At least that is according to The Telegraph, which reports that Bournemouth are open to making Kepa’s loan stay permanent in the upcoming window. The outlet predicts a hectic goalkeeper market this summer and the Cherries are assessing their options.

As Kepa would have been a free agent this summer, Chelsea extended his contract by a year prior to his Bournemouth loan. The deal reportedly includes a release clause that stands at a measly €6 million.

This is a far cry from the €80m fee Chelsea paid for Kepa in 2028, which was a world-record fee for a goalkeeper at the time. Given the amount of his release clause, a deal is not expected to be a problem for Bournemouth, although Kepa’s wages could prove an issue.

Additionally, it is expected that the Spaniard will have other suitors after managing to revive his career this season. One thing is certain, though, Kepa is likely to finally leave Chelsea on a permanent basis this summer.