Chelsea FC to pay £71.6m to sign 23-year-old – report
Chelsea FC are prepared to pay £71.6m to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao, say reports
Chelsea FC will shell out a world-record fee for a goalkeeper to land Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao before Thursday’s transfer deadline, according to reports in the British media.
The Guardian is reporting that the west London side are closing in on a deal to bring the 23-year-old shot-stopper to Stamford Bridge in a big-money deal.
The same article says that Thibaut Courtois is almost certain to sign for Real Madrid from Chelsea FC this summer after he failed to report for Chelsea FC training for the second successive day.
Chelsea FC have been looking for a replacement for Courtois amid the constant speculation about the Belgian goalkeeper’s future at Stamford Bridge.
The 26-year-old’s current deal with the Blues is set to expire next summer and he has strongly been linked with a switch to Real Madrid for the last few months.
The same article says that Arrizabalaga has a release clause set at €80m (£71.6m), and that Chelsea FC are prepared to pay that fee.
By triggering the clause, Chelsea FC would be paying more than Liverpool FC parted with to land Alisson Becker from AS Roma earlier this summer.
Meanwhile, Chelsea FC will kick of their Premier League campaign with a clash against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
