Reports: Chelsea ready to offload Kepa Arrizabalaga

According to ESPN, Chelsea are ready to give up on Kepa Arrizabalaga if a decent offer arrives in January. Kepa lost his place in the Chelsea starting line-up after the club signed Edouard Mendy from Rennes, and the club is now ready to offload the Spaniard.

Arrizabalaga signed with Chelsea for €80 million, a world record transfer record fee for a goalkeeper, in the summer of 2018 from Athletic Bilbao. The 26-year-old was signed as the replacement for Thibaut Courtois, who left Chelsea for Real Madrid that summer.

Kepa joined Chelsea with a lot of expectations on his shoulders, and it is fair to say he has not lived up to them. The Spain international has failed to adapt to the physicality of the Premier League and has been found lacking in front of goal many times.

Chelsea are reportedly eager to part ways with Kepa Arrizabalaga

Kepa has failed to impress at Chelsea

Arrizabalaga has struggled for confidence in recent months, and the imperious form of Edouard Mendy means that he will find it hard-pressed to find regular playing time.

Chelsea is reportedly ready to part ways with the goalkeeper if a suitable offer arrives. The Blues would like to reclaim at least half of the £71 million they paid for the goalkeeper two years ago, but given his current form and the number of errors Kepa has made in a Chelsea shirt, they may have to lower their asking price.

At 26, Kepa still has his best years ahead of him. A move away from Chelsea and out of the spotlight may be what he needs to rejuvenate his career. He was heavily linked with a loan move to Sevilla in the summer, and it seems likely that he will look to leave Chelsea in January or next season.

It will be interesting to see which clubs will offer Kepa an escape from his Chelsea nightmare, but one can envision potential suitors not offering anything more than a loan deal with an option to buy to minimize the risk in case he continues his downward spiral after he leaves Chelsea.