Chelsea Turn Down Al Ittihad’s Opening Bid For Spanish Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga: Report

Premier League side Chelsea has reportedly rejected Saudi Professional League club Al Ittihad’s initial bid for Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. The 29-year-old goalkeeper, who spent last year on loan at Real Madrid, is likely to leave the London-based club this summer following the expiry of his contract.

According to media reports, Al Ittihad is keen to sign Kepa in this transfer window. The Saudi Arabian outfit has been discussing a potential deal with Chelsea over the last few weeks. Kepa spent the last season at Real Madrid on loan. He joined the La Liga club after their first goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, suffered a long-term injury. Kepa, however, soon lost his place to backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

With Real Madrid now planning to sign a permanent contract with the Ukrainian, there was no place left for Kepa at the Spanish club. It is also unlikely for Chelsea to extend his contract and bring him back to the first squad. They currently have Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic as first-team goalkeepers, with Marcus Bettineli and Lucas Bergstom as backups. Following the end of his loan spell with Real Madrid, Kepa has already returned to London and is reportedly training with the Blues’ development squad.

In this situation, Kepa will be desperate to settle his future during his summer transfer. Recently, journalist David Ornstein shared an update about Kepa’s potential move to Saudi Arabia on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “Chelsea turn down initial bid for Kepa Arrizabalaga from Al Ittihad.”

Earlier, a report by Marca claimed that Al Ittihad was preparing a permanent deal to sign Arrizabalaga. The first offer was described as ‘significant’ and ‘difficult to turn down’ by the Spanish outlet. Kepa still holds the record for the most expensive goalkeeper signing in football history. His current market value, however, does not exceed £10 million, excluding his annual wages.

Al Ittihad are expected to return with an improved offer for the 29-year-old goalkeeper, who has made 163 appearances for Chelsea across competitions. If the deal happens, Kepa will reunite with his former Premier League teammate N’Golo Kante, who arrived at the Saudi club last summer.

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