Chelsea has signed goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao. Kepa says a combination of things helped him choose the club with ease.
Kepa has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge and is expected to take the position that has been left by Thibaut Courtois who has joined join Real Madrid.
The 23-year old made 100 career appearances of which 50 is in the league with Bilbao. He was also part of Spanish national team in Russia after being called up by Julen Lopetegui following his impressive performances.
Chelsea’s Director Marina Granovskaia welcomed the young shot-stopper saying the club is happy to sign him.
“Kepa is a talent we have admired for a long time and we are extremely excited about his arrival. 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.” Martina said.
Kepa was loaned to SD Ponferradina in the Spanish second division in January 2015 with a debut against Racing Santander. He was a regular member of the team keeping seven clean sheets in the process as the team missed out on the playoffs by just one point.
Born in Ondarroa, Biscay, Basque Country, Arrizabalaga joined Athletic Bilbao’s youth setup at Lezama in 2004, aged ten. He made his senior debut with the farm team in January 2012, in Tercera División.
On 5 May 2012, Arrizabalaga was called up to the main squad for a La Liga match against Getafe CF, but remained unused in the 0–0 draw at the San Mamés Stadium. He was also called up to pre-season in July, and on 23 September was also a substitute in another home game of the same outcome, against Málaga CF.
Arrizabalaga was promoted to the reserves in January 2013, to cover for injured Jon Ander Serantes. He made his debut for the B-side on 16 February 2013, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win over UD Logroñés for the Segunda División B championship.On 3 March, he was sent off towards the end of a 3–1 home win over SD Amorebieta, as was teammate Jon García; in April he suffered a pubalgia, only returning to the fields in September.
Arrizabalaga appeared regularly for the B’s after his return, but broke the first metacarpal of his right hand in January 2014,[10]being sidelined for a month. On 11 March, Getafe submitted a loan request to the Lions for him, mainly as a replacement to injured Miguel Ángel Moyà,but it was rejected a day later.
On 5 January 2015, Arrizabalaga was loaned to Segunda División’s SD Ponferradina until June. He finally made his professional debut on the 11th, starting in a 1–1 home draw against Racing de Santander.
On 20 July 2015, Arrizabalaga moved to Real Valladolid also in the second tier, in a season-long loan deal.He played his first competitive game on 22 August, in a 0–1 loss at Córdoba CF, and missed only three matches as his team finished 16th.
After returning from loan, Arrizabalaga was definitely included in the first team, initially as third-choice behind Gorka Iraizoz and Iago Herrerín. He made his debut in the top flight on 11 September 2016, starting in a 1–0 away win over Deportivo de La Coruña.
On 22 January 2018, amidst heavy transfer speculation linking him to Real Madrid, Arrizabalaga renewed his contract – due to expire in June – until 2025.
After appearing for the under-18s, Arrizabalaga was called up to the under-19 team for that year’s UEFA European Championship. He was an undisputed starter during the tournament, as his side were crowned champions; highlights included a 3–3 semi-final success against France, where he saved two penalties in the shootout.
Arrizabalaga missed the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup due to injury, being replaced by Rubén Yáñez. On 8 November 2013 he was called up to the under-21 team, along with Athletic teammate Iker Muniain.
Arrizabalaga was called up to the senior side on 22 March 2017 ahead of a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Israel and a friendly with France, as a late replacement for the injured Pepe Reina. He earned his first cap on 11 November of that year, playing the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 friendly win over Costa Rica in Málaga.
Arrizabalaga was named in Spain’s 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.