Kepa's battle for a place in the starting XI with Edouard Mendy
Kepa was now second choice to Mendy and had to play a secondary role in the squad. He still managed to perform when given a chance, as seen with his heroic saves in the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup wins. Tuchel however still favoured the Senegal keeper despite a shaky start to the 2021/2022 season.
Mendy’s performances seemed to dip and it allowed Kepa to earn another opportunity to stake a claim as number one. When Tuchel was sacked in September 2022, Graham Potter arrived from Brighton and preferred to use Kepa as his keeper. This was down to ability to use the ball with his feet and be comfortable with passing out from the back.
Despite the struggling form of the side during this period, Kepa was earning some praise and was showing improvement in his game. Potter only lasted seven months and was sacked in April 2023. Frank Lampard would take over on an interim basis and used Kepa as his first choice in goal.
Mendy decided to leave Chelsea in the summer of 2023 and with new boss Mauricio Pochettino arriving, it looked as if Kepa had earned his place back in the starting lineup. However, the unfortunate injury to Real Madrid goalkeeper and former Chelsea player, Thibaut Courtois ruled the Belgian out for the season, forcing the Galactico’s to look for a temporary replacement.