Kepa Arrizabalaga joined Arsenal in early July this year in a surprising move. The Gunners activated a £5 million release clause to sign him from Chelsea.
Nearly 7 years have passed since The Blues spent a record £71.6 million to bring the Spanish goalkeeper back from Athletic Bilbao. Although Kepa's value has declined sharply over time, his move to a team that already has a solid No. 1 goalkeeper like David Raya has surprised many.
Long since being left out of the starting lineup by Chelsea, Kepa spent the 2023-2024 season at Real Madrid on loan. He is seen as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois - ironically, he was Kepa's replacement at Chelsea in 2018.
However, a muscle injury forced Kepa to temporarily leave the pitch, giving Andriy Lunin the opportunity to shine. The Ukrainian goalkeeper took advantage of the opportunity and maintained his No. 1 position in the goal at the Bernabeu until the end of the season.
brighter days have come to Bournemouth in August 2024, when Kepa replaced Neto - who joined Arsenal on a season-long loan. Despite keeping just seven clean sheets in 26 appearances, Kepa has once again proven his worth as the No. 1 goalkeeper.
So what is waiting for him at Arsenal this season? Will The Gunners face another tough situation in goal, similar to what happened to David Raya in the summer of 2023?
There has been a marked change in the approach to Arsenal's squad building in recent transfers. Coach Mikel Arteta once shared that he wanted to work with a small group of excellent players. However, he has recently focused on adding depth to the entire squad.
Raya was not turned. Arsenal played 58 matches in all competitions last season, and the Spaniard has participated in 55 of those. comprehensive Jack Porter was given a chance to start against Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the Carabao Cup, while Tommy Setford started against Preston North End in the fourth round.
Neto's only match for the club was a goalless confrontation with Girona in the UEFA Champions League in January.
However, during his pre-season tour in Asia, Arteta's comments highlighted how expensive injuries cost Arsenal last season.
The Spanish captain also mentioned the harsh physical requirements as the team tries to compete on all four fronts: Premier League, Champions League, and two domestic tournaments. It was that pressure that forced The Gunners to abandon the level-based recruitment system they had used.
"Level 1 means they are basically capable of starting. But the level 1, 2, 3 system - I don't really believe in it anymore, at least for now. The way football is developing, along with the 70-75 games played per season, is demanding a different approach.
Finally, our goal is to build a squad that when you look at it, you can't really predict who will play the next day. If we get to that level, with healthy competition and harmonious coordination between the players, that is what we are aiming for" - Arteta said.
At the age of 30, Kepa has been the subject of many criticisms, but he has a completely different starting point and class from Neto, who was once a position contender with Raya.
As Raya himself once shared: "Knowing the transfer situation, knowing that we have two top players in each position. That is the way the coach wants to operate, and that has not changed until now".
