Bournemouth’s Kepa Arrizabalaga deal hits stumbling block after Chelsea decision
Andoni Iraola will hope Bournemouth can win the race to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga this summer as he prepares to leave Chelsea permanently.
The much-maligned Chelsea loanee has been a revelation on the south coast, and seven clean sheets have helped Bournemouth climb into the top half of the table, still with a chance of European football.
Bournemouth’s season may have tailed off in recent weeks, with just one win in their last 10 games and a drop from fifth to tenth, but Kepa‘s form hasn’t let up and the Cherries are keen to keep him this summer.
Kepa fell out of favour at Stamford Bridge several seasons ago, yet Chelsea fans have called for him to replace Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen next term, due to their two goalkeepers’ own patchy form.
Chelsea exit certain for Kepa as Bundesliga interest surfaces
Bournemouth have made no secret of their desire to make Kepa’s move permanent this summer, with talks between the Cherries and Chelsea already underway as Iraola looks to strengthen his squad.
Kepa has been told he has no future in West London and Chelsea have no plans to re-integrate him into their side, but talkSPORT reported on 29 April that Bournemouth will face competition to sign him.
German giants and current Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen have their eyes on Kepa as Xabi Alonso’s potential next number one, as they look to move on from Lukas Hradecky and Matej Kovar.
With Hradecky now 35 and Kovar not up to the task, Leverkusen have identified Kepa as their number one target between the sticks, and unlike Bournemouth, will be able to offer Champions League football.
Bournemouth braced for competition in Kepa transfer
Given the extent to which Kepa has rebuilt his Premier League reputation at the Vitality Stadium, he may elect to stay put at Bournemouth, but the ball is in Chelsea’s court with no option-to-buy clause agreed.
If the Cherries do miss out on the Spaniard this summer, ex-Man United scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Bournemouth could turn to their former keeper Aaron Ramsdale, but Iraola will surely favour a move for his compatriot.
Kepa is far from the only one of this season’s star players whom Bournemouth could be without next term as teams circle around Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen, but after his success on loan, the goalkeeper could be set for a long-term future on the south coast.