Kepa Arrizabalaga signs new Chelsea contract and goes on loan until 2024/25

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has signed a one-year contract and joined Bournemouth on loan until the 2024/25 season.

Kepa will spend another year away from the Blues having spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Real Madrid, helping them win the La Liga and UEFA Champions League double.

With Chelsea finding new goalkeepers in recent years, particularly under the ownership of BlueCo, Kepa is no longer needed at the club and has spent the summer looking for a way out.

He had hoped to return to Madrid, but due to Thibaut Courtois’ return to fitness and the emergence of Andriy Lunin – who usurped Kepa last season – Los Blancos did not make a fresh bid to re-sign the Spaniard.

Instead, Kepa is heading to Bournemouth, where he will battle club captain Neto for his debut.

“We are delighted to bring a player of Kepa’s caliber to AFC Bournemouth,” said chief executive Neill Blake.

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“We believe he will be an exciting addition to our talented goalkeeping department.”

However, with Kepa’s contract at Chelsea set to expire in the summer of 2025, he signed a one-year extension at the club to retain his resale value.

Kepa has been entering the final year of the first Chelsea contract he signed after joining Athletic Club in 2018. He signed a seven-year deal after the Blues triggered his £72m release clause, and to this day remains the most expensive goalkeeper of all time. the time.

During his time at Chelsea, Kepa has played 163 games for the club, and he has played 13 times for the Spanish national team.

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