06 September 2023 , 11:58
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Kepa Arrizabalaga appears to have no interest in returning to Chelsea - insisting Todd Boehly's project is "not the right one".
The Spanish goalkeeper, 28, joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan last month after Thibaut Courtois suffered a serious knee injury. Ironically, Arrizabalaga was also Courtois' replacement at Chelsea when the 31-year-old left for the Spanish capital in 2018.
Although Arrizabalaga is under contract at Stamford Bridge until June 2025, he's not interested in playing for Mauricio Pochettino's side. That could be problematic if he returns from Madrid next summer and can't find another club.
Arrizabalaga has endured an indifferent time at Chelsea since his £72million move from Athletic Bilbao five years ago. The 13-cap international has played 163 games for the Blues but temporarily lost his place to Edouard Mendy between 2020 and 2022.
Arrizabalaga opened up on his Chelsea exit in an interview with Marca. He's revealed that his move to Real was "very fast", with Courtois suffering his injury just four days before the transfer was announced. Bayern Munich were also interested in Arrizabalaga.
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He said: "It’s true that Pochettino wanted me to stay and he told me that I was going to play, that he trusted me, but I thought that a change would be good for me, I wanted a change. Thomas Tuchel called me. We were close to going to Munich."
Arrizabalaga was initially expected to be Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper this season after Mendy completed a summer transfer to Saudi club Al-Ahli. Yet Arrizabalaga was keen to leave Stamford Bridge after hearing of Real's interest.
He added: "I felt it was time for a change of scenery. I wanted to stay, but I felt that the project was not the right one... When Madrid calls you, everything changes. My signing was closed in just a few hours and a couple of calls."
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Chelsea replaced Arrizabalaga and Mendy with Robert Sanchez, who was Brighton's third-choice goalkeeper, and Djordje Petrovic. The latter, a 23-year-old Serbia international, has arrived from Major League Soccer side New England Revolution.
Tuchel was keen on signing a goalkeeper during the summer transfer window after Yann Sommer's move to Inter Milan. Bayern's first-choice goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer is still recovering from the broken leg he suffered while skiing last December.
Tuchel's interest in Arrizabalaga is surprising, as the German preferred Mendy during his time in charge at Stamford Bridge. Yet the Spaniard gained confidence from that interest.
Arrizabalaga admitted: "Yes, well it’s also true that although I didn’t play with him, it reinforces you a little that a coach, that in the first stage you have not played at all with him, then he claims or wants you in his team, this makes you feel good."