Chelsea has now sealed its deal with Athletic Bilbao's Kepa Arrizabalaga as they signed him to be the new goalkeeper of the prominent football club in London.
According to China Daily, Arrizabalaga will be the replacement of Thibaut Courtois, who recently transferred on Real Madrid. Chelsea and Bilbao reportedly reached the deal with over 80 million Euros involved and a seven-year contract. The 23-year-old Spanish footballer expressed how the decision he made is very important not only to himself but also to his career and personal life.
Maurizio Sarri, Chelsea's head coach, also talked about Arrizabalaga and he had nothing but good words for the young goalkeeper. He said, "I saw him one year ago when I was at Naples and my first impression was he was a very good goalkeeper. Very young, but very, very good."
Meanwhile, it seems like the earlier mentioned agreement between two clubs surpasses Liverpool's deal with Roma. There are 72.5 million Euros involved in the deal, making Brazilian Allison Becker the most expensive goalkeeper in July 2018.
Thibaut Courtois Bids Farewell to Chelsea
BBC News reported that Courtois signed a six-year deal with Real Madrid. The famous Spanish football club has not revealed how much they have paid for the 26-year-old, however, some believed it was worth 35 million Euros.
Courtois was first signed by Chelsea in 2018. He previously went on loan to Atletico Madrid and returned to his original team in 2014. He now described his new team as the best in the world and the decision he made was actually a dream for him.
In the end, he believes that his former team will always have a special place in his heart. But it seems like priorities have changed as Courtois was absent last Monday at Chelsea's Cobham Training Ground. He was supposed to take part in his role for the upcoming World Cup.
One of the reasons why he considered joining Madrid is to be closer home. Courtois was titled as the best goalkeeper during Russia's Tournament, where he defeated England in a 3rd place play-off.
Moreover, as part Real and Chelsea's contract, RM midfielder Mateo Kovacic will join the blues for a season-long loan. Kovacic has been the Spanish powerhouse's midfielder for three seasons and he has been a big factor why they won three Champion Leagues in a row. Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia believes that he will definitely be a valuable asset to the team.
