Chelsea: What is next in the career of Kepa Arrizabalaga?
Unwanted, unloved, unappreciated and certainly not unaware of his sorry situation, what is next in the tragedy of Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga?
“I haven’t spoken to Kepa. The announcement came and we trained.” As if signing his death note, Frank Lampard virtually confined Kepa Arrizabalaga to the abyss of no return following the announcement of Edouard Mendy on Thursday. These quotes arose after the Blues boss confirmed his newest arrival would not start between the sticks again West Bromwich Albion.
Usually, this would be music to the ears of anyone who has been jolted by the threat of a new arrival—not Arrizabalaga. His out-of-tune swan song was seemingly strung in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool and the fact his manager offered little in the way of open reassurance is to pluck the final string from the broken bow.
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“I didn’t see Kepa but I will have a conversation with him and Wily Caballero over the next 24 hours”, Lampard ominously continued, with warning signs that this may be the last interaction between a befallen goalkeeper and his out of patience boss.
Where can one really turn when they have tumbled so far from their expensive precipice? Financially, Chelsea will not be able to refund the £71 million it splashed two summers ago, as the Spaniard’s market price has rapidly decreased since Lampard took over. However, the Blues would rather take a small percentage to reinvest somewhere else than allowed Arrizabalaga to be slumped in the wings, soaking up a tidy pay package.
Back to his native country appears like a logical step, a place of culture and comfort that he can feel at home with. A return to Athletico Bilbao would be far from nostalgic, considering he only left in 2018. Yet, the Spanish club has invested in Unai Simon as its new No. 1, a promising star who kept 13 clean sheets in La Liga last season.
Then, you peer over to the three other clubs who could realistically afford him: Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid. None are desperate for a replacement and instead need reinforcements further infield than in goal.
Scouring Europe and there are potential options for those able to subsidise his wages. Paris Saint-Germain has relied on 33-year-old Keylor Navas since his swap move from Real Madrid. Although the Costa Rican boasted 19 clean sheets in 2019/20, Thomas Tuchel might be looking to freshen up his goalkeeping department. The pressure would be eased in Ligue 1, Arrizabalaga protected in part from the glare of the global media. Until of course, PSG enters the Champions League—a competition it is expected to win every season—when the strain of said expectation constricts the Parisian giants once again.
Juventus also deploy an aging rearguard, with Wojciech Szczesny and Carlo Pinsoglio both having recently turned 30, made to look like spring chickens by the timeless Gianluigi Buffon. Arrizabalaga could have been reunited with Andrea Pirlo’s predecessor, Maurizio Sarri, the man who brought him to Chelsea during his singular spell at Stamford Bridge. Pirlo might still be on the hunt for new personnel in his revolution, but he would not be blamed for passing on the shaky Spaniard.
Bayern Munich is simply out of the question; Manuel Neuer is going nowhere. That really leaves us back at square one, England. The answer is still pretty much the same. Manchester City and Liverpool are already patched up in the area between the posts, whereas Manchester United recalled Dean Henderson to understudy—and eventually overtake—David de Gea.
Climb down the Premier League ladder and it becomes slightly more promising. Arsenal allowed highly-rated Emiliano Martinez to join Aston Villa, leaving Bernd Leno as the only senior selection in his position. Everton has endured its own comical keeper in Jordan Pickford and his future is not certain, so maybe two wrongs make a right?
Tottenham Hotspur hopes Hugo Lloris can stay fit and in form, otherwise the club might be forced to call upon the shadow of Joe Hart’s former formidable figure. All possible options for Arrizabalaga, but is this really the medicine he requires? Throwing him straight back into the gauntlet of fire seems cruel, not to mention unwise considering his current form and lack of confidence.
Next. Things look promising for Chelsea, even when plenty of work is needed. dark
In an ideal world, Arrizabalaga could play for a mid-table side in Spain, where the shackles have been released. He can enjoy his football again, without the weight of every rival fan anticipating a mistake or to criticize his misgivings. A fresh chapter deserves to be written, but only time will tell who will be the author.