Chelsea keen to offload loanee for around £22 million in 2024 – Reports
Chelsea are reportedly interested in selling Kepa Arrizabalaga in the region of £22 million to Real Madrid at the end of the 2023-24 season.
The Blues decided to ship Arrizabalaga off on a season-long loan deal last month following Robert Sanchez's £25 million arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion. They also signed Djordje Petrovic as a backup shot-stopper for around £14 million from New England Revolution in the final days of the recently concluded summer window.
Now, according to Defensa Central, Chelsea are prepared to listen to offers for the 13-cap Spain international in the summer of 2024. They are said to be willing to let go of their player for a fee of around £22 million.
However, Real Madrid are yet to show any indication of being keen to snap up the Athletic Bilbao youth product on a permanent basis. They are interested in keeping a close eye on their loanee's performances in Thibaut Courtois' long-term absence this campaign.
Los Blancos roped in Arrizabalaga, who has helped Chelsea lift four trophies, after Courtois suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury last month. They began their 2023-24 La Liga season with Andriy Lunin between the sticks before the 28-year-old's arrival on loan.
So far, Arrizabalaga has overseen one clean sheet in two league games for Carlo Ancelotti's side this campaign. He is next set to be in action in his team's home encounter against Real Sociedad this Sunday.
Fabrizio Romano pinpoints 2 Chelsea stars who could leave Stamford Bridge next year
In his column for Caught Offside, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared his two cents on Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella's respective futures at the Mauricio Pochettino-coached outfit. He wrote:
"We're hearing reports that Chalobah is out of the picture. Although it's true that Chelsea accepted a proposal and wanted Chalobah to go to Nottingham Forest, there is no formal communication from the club that Chalobah is not going to play for them again. Some sources on the player side feel that the player expects to leave in January – the feeling is that something will happen to part ways."
Asserting that the aforesaid players could leave soon, Romano added:
"There was also something similar being reported about Cucurella, but Chelsea deny any of their players being frozen out. Again, the feeling is that both Chalobah and Cucurella are set to look for new clubs in January if they can't play enough in the next months."
With Levi Colwill and Ian Maatsen reintegrated in Pochettino's squad this season, both Chalobah and Cucurella have dropped down in their club's pecking order. The pair were linked with moves to Bayern Munich and Manchester United, respectively, last month.
Apart from the two defenders, the Blues are also reportedly interested in offloading Malang Sarr in the future. They are keen to earn cash to balance their books after splashing over £1 million on players since last May.