€80m FLOP confirms Chelsea transfer talks

Tom Weber

Updated: 8 Apr 2025 12:56 BST
3 min read

Kepa Arrizabalaga has confirmed that he is set to hold talks with Chelsea over his future in the coming weeks.

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The Spaniard is spending the season out on loan at Bournemouth and he has managed to revive his career after going down as one of the biggest flops in Premier League history at Chelsea.

Current ETV

Kepa Arrizabalaga

B'mouth

Kepa Arrizabalaga

B'mouth

ETV Range

€9.1M - €11.1M

Kepa once commanded an €80 million fee, which is still a world record for a goalkeeper. Unsurprisingly, he never managed to justify that inflated figure.

After a mixed loan spell at Real Madrid, Kepa has been able to perform adequately at Bournemouth this season. Although he has made some mistakes, the Cherries are generally happy with him.

Indeed, Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed that Bournemouth are open to signing him permanently at the right price, which shouldn't be an issue considering that Kepa reportedly has a €6 million release clause in his contract.

Kepa to hold talks with Chelsea

Speaking to the media after Bournemouth's 2-2 draw with West Ham, the 30-year-old revealed that he was set for talks with Chelsea over his future.

"Obviously, what I can say is that I'm really happy and I'm enjoying my playing time here," Kepa said. "I think I'm showing that and I'm feeling well on the pitch.

"It's not the time to think about the future. We're going to take the decision, we're in touch with everybody and now I'm under contract with Chelsea. We have some conversations to have, they will happen in the next few weeks and then we'll decide."

Kepa does not have a future at Chelsea, but he would have to return to Stamford Bridge should Bournemouth, for whatever reason, decide against signing him permanently.

There have also been murmurs of a potential return to Real Madrid, with Kepa said to be keen to return to Spain after his brief spell with Los Blancos last season.