Chelsea: Kepa should either stay or leave permanently, not consider a loan

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s future with the club looks foggy, but a loan move is not a smart decision.

Arrizabalaga’s situation has turned into an interesting one at Chelsea over the course of the last few months. He’s gone from the sure-fire starting keeper to being benched for 38-year-old Willy Caballero. Arrizabalaga’s performances have been sub-par this season, to put it lightly.

His future in west London has come under fire because of this. The Spaniard is now being linked to Valencia on a loan deal. However, if Arrizabalaga is to leave Chelsea, it needs to be on a permanent deal.

It’s no secret that whenever the Blues make a purchase that doesn’t pan out, they do everything under the sun to try and make a majority of that money back. The same goes for Arrizabalaga. His £71 million transfer from Athletic Bilbao remains the most expensive goalkeeper transfer in history. Therefore, it won’t be easy to make that money back. Luckily for Chelsea, he’s got five years remaining on his contract after the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.

In the world of football, the more time left under contract, the better. One-year out on loan would decrease his value and display the fact that the Blues no longer want the 25-year-old. The desire to offload Arrizabalaga would further decrease his value on the transfer market.

The only way Arrizabalaga should be able to be loaned out is if an option to buy is included. This allows Valencia time to get back on its feet following the financial hit of Coronavirus. Further, Valencia is able to secure a long-term solution after the presumed exit of first-choice keeper Jasper Cillessen. Cillessen is rumored to be on the move to his old club, Ajax. Ajax’s starting keeper Andre Onana has been given the green light to leave, with a move to Chelsea being a massive possibility. If the clubs collaborate, a Giroud-Batshuayi-Aubameyang-esque swap deal—which benefits all three clubs and players—could be in the works.

However, the Blues should not allow the Spaniard to leave without a commitment from the Spanish club to purchase Arrizabalaga once the loan is up. If Valencia doesn’t agree to those terms, Chelsea should hold onto the 25-year-old through the summer transfer window. Regardless of whether or not the Blues bring in another keeper, holding onto Arrizabalaga is a smart financial decision until at least the January window. Clubs around the world have been hit hard by COVID-19 and therefore, won’t pay top dollar for Arrizabalaga’s services.

A loan away from Chelsea is only an acceptable move for Arrizabalaga if the deal includes an option to buy. If not, Arrizabalaga’s future needs to be sealed by Chelsea—whether that’s the Spaniard remaining on the books for another window or moving away permanently.