On Tuesday, Real Madrid officially introduced goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was loaned for a season from Chelsea to take the place of the injured Thibaut Courtois.
“This is one of the most crucial and special moments of my career and my life. I feel extremely happy and honored to be part of Real Madrid,” stated the Spanish goalkeeper in a press conference, expressing his desire to remain with the club after the loan period ends.
Staying after the loan? It’s something I hope for. Today marks the beginning of the loan; we have time, we’ll see how things unfold. I hope my performance can influence that decision,” he added.
Kepa arrives to fill the void left by Courtois, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture in his left knee during a training session last week and will need surgery, sidelining him for a significant portion of the season.
In the previous season, the Spanish goalkeeper had already lost his place in Chelsea to Mendy, who was transferred to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia. After participating in three out of five preseason friendlies, he faced competition from Robert Sánchez, one of the new signings for the English club in the 2023/24 season.
Kepa played 39 matches for Chelsea in the previous season and conceded 45 goals. He has been with the English club since the 2018/19 season, when he was acquired from Athletic Bilbao for €80 million, making him the most expensive goalkeeper in history up to that moment.
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