He is the world's most expensive goalkeeper but it appeared that Frank Lampard has made the decision that Kepa Arrizabalaga has no longer a future at Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea manager is ready to listen on offers that will see the exit of the beleaguered stopper, reports said.
The Spaniard was dropped from the squad during the Blues' Sunday match against the Wolves, which saw Lampard's side winning the game and securing a spot on the Champions League. It is believed Arrizabalaga will again skip his squad's showdown with Arsenal on Saturday for the FA Cup final match.
The Daily Mail said Chelsea will sell the keeper this summer at a price that is not lower than £50 million, purportedly to recoup part of the £72 million paid out to Athletic Bilbao in 2018 to acquire the 25-year-old.
If there is no immediate buyer for Arrizabalaga in the upcoming transfer window, the same report claimed the Chelsea board will make the player for a loan deal provided part of his salary will be covered by the acquiring party.
Lampard too is said ready to move on from the error-prone keeper and will make recommendations to the club board to start looking for a replacement. On the shortlist of the manager are Andre Onana of Ajax and Nick Pope of Burnley though the latter appeared to be on the lead.
Pope was a strong candidate to win the Premier League Golden Glove award for the season but narrowly missed getting the honor, which Manchester City keeper Ederson captured.
In the event that a deal on Arrizabalaga is not completed this summer, Lampard will opt to hire a relatively affordable reserve that will keep the Spaniard on toes for the next season. While the boss is no longer convinced that the keeper fits his game plan, he seemed willing to wait out for the perfect replacement.
Metro said Lampard has made clear that a decision on Arrizabalaga's fate will not be rushed. The boss is more inclined to deal with the upcoming matches first before making his final move, which he hinted will be for the campaign to come.
Chelsea will clash with the Gunners in the weekend then in August, the team will face off with Bayern Munich and try to advance deep into the Champions League. After those battles, Lampard said he will be thinking hard not only about the keeper but also on his team's defense tactics.
"The idea that we haven't kept a clean sheet is definitely not just a reflection of the goalkeeper, but something that we have to work on as a team," the Blues boss was reported as saying.
He added that Chelsea's defensive mistakes cannot be pinned entirely on Arrizabalaga, who Lampard said is going through a difficult phase.
