Chelsea handed Kepa Arrizabalaga transfer boost as Real Madrid goalkeeper eyes exit
- Chelsea need a landing spot for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga
- A permanent Bournemouth transfer not likely to be viable
- Real Madrid could emerge as an option if Andriy Lunin leaves
What Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin chooses to do this summer could provide Chelsea with the market they need to permanently offload Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Even with Chelsea's goalkeeper struggles this season, going back and forth between Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen, there is no future for Kepa back at Stamford Bridge. The club is inundated with goalkeepers, as Djordje Petrovic finishes his impressive loan at Strasbourg and Mike Penders joins this summer.
The Times has reported that Bournemouth are expecting to be priced out of a permanent move for Kepa, with Chelsea still paying more than half of his £200,000 weekly wages during his loan move this season. The Cherries, who will get Neto back from Arsenal, could go after Espanyol's Joan Garcia instead.
It leaves Chelsea to find an alternative suitor for Kepa instead. But that could be Real Madrid, the club where the Spain international spent last season on loan.
Mundo Deportivo writes that Lunin, the current understudy to Thibaut Courtois, is considering his future. The Ukrainian is said to have already "received offers" that he has made known to the Madrid hierarchy, with more likely to come once the summer arrives.
It is understandable that, having proven himself as a worthy stand-in when Courtois spent most of last season sidelined with knee issues, he should be frustrated by the situation. Lunin was benched in favour of Courtois for last weekend's Copa del Rey final, having played in all the previous rounds.
Kepa has already been linked with Real Madrid. A report last month suggested the Spanish giants have resurrected past interest in the Chelsea stopper, largely thanks to his form at Bournemouth.
The downside for Kepa, however, is that returning to the Bernabeu would only see him inherit Lunin’s role after a season as an important player for Bournemouth and starting every week. But he isn’t the only goalkeeper on Madrid's radar either, with the aforementioned Garcia also an option.
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