"We were close to this deal" – Bayern Munich CEO confirms Chelsea star has opted to join Real Madrid
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has confirmed that Chelsea shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga has decided to join Real Madrid this summer.
Arrizabalaga, 28, has emerged as a shock target for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the recent past. He is said to have reached an agreement with the La Liga outfit over a season-long loan switch despite holding talks with the latter for some days, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Now, Dreesen has shed light on Bayern's pursuit of the Chelsea goalkeeper during a recent interview. He said (h/t Fabrizio Romano):
"We were close to this deal and we actually wanted to present Kepa today. But he chose to join Real Madrid. He's Spanish and so Kepa wanted to accept Real proposal."
Arrizabalaga, who has a contract until June 2025 at Stamford Bridge, re-cemented himself as the Blues' number one over the course of the 2022-23 campaign. He dethroned Edouard Mendy last season, registering 12 clean sheets in 39 appearances across all competitions along the way.
Should Arrizabalaga join Los Blancos on a temporary move, he would emerge as a first-team starter for them. He would fill in for former Chelsea shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during a pre-season training session earlier last week.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are set to shift their sights to other goalkeeping targets after failing to sign the 13-cap Spain international. They are keen to snap up a new keeper this summer after selling Yann Sommer to Inter Milan while Manuel Neuer is recovering from an injury.
According to Sport Bild journalist Christian Falk, Thomas Tuchel's side are keeping tabs on AC Milan star Mike Maignan and Porto ace Diogo Costa as their first-team shot-stopper. They have also been heavily linked with Valencia star Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Will Chelsea star Kepa Arrizabalga be able to replace Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois?
Kepa Arrizabalaga, who joined Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao for £72 million in 2018, has been scrutinized for his error-prone performances. However, in the past year or so, he has grown in confidence.
With a comparatively better defence in front of him at Real Madrid, he is thought to be a fine makeshift option for Thibaut Courtois. Kepa could even better the Belgian's record of 17 shutouts in 49 appearances across competitions should Los Blancos enjoy an improved season.
Chelsea, on the other hand, would have two goalkeepers after Arrizabalaga's likely exit to Real Madrid, namely summer arrival Robert Sanchez and Marcus Bettinelli. They are also said to be currently keeping an eye on OGC Nice star Kasper Schmeichel, according to The Guardian.