Chelsea have officially signed Athletic goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on a seven-year deal for world-record fee of €80m. The club have found their replacement for Thibaut Courtois, who was sold to Real Madrid earlier in the day
Chelsea have paid a reported world-record £72 million (€80m/$92m) to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao as a successor to Real Madrid-bound Thibaut Courtois.
The new fee smashes the previous goalkeeper transfer record, set when Liverpool purchased Alisson Becker from Roma for £65m in July.
The 23-year-old has penned a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge after the Blues triggered a release clause in his Athletic Bilbao contract.
"So many things attracted me to the club, all the titles the club has won, the other players, the city, the English Premier League," Kepa said.
"It’s an accumulation of things, and I am very glad Chelsea has decided to trust me and to take me in as well."
And director Marina Granovskaia has explained what attracted them to the player as Courtois' replacement.
"Kepa is a talent we have admired for a long time and we are extremely excited about his arrival," said Granovskaia.
"He has already demonstrated fantastic quality and consistency and will be a big part of any success Chelsea have in the coming years.
"His long-term contract reflects the belief we have in him and we look ahead to the coming seasons with an enormous sense of optimism."