Official: Chelsea sign Kepa Arrizabalaga for world-record fee of £71.6m

August 8, 2018
| Report Focus News

Chelsea completed the club-record signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga on Wednesday, hours after Athletic Bilbao confirmed the trigger of his €80 million (£71.5m) release clause, making him the world’s most expensive goalkeeper.

The 23-year-old signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge, shortly after Chelsea confirmed a deal had been reached to grant Thibaut Courtois his desired move to Real Madrid.

He has signed a seven-year contract at the club and replaces Thibaut Courtois, who is set to join Real Madrid.

Kepa is Spain’s number two behind Manchester United’s David de Gea.

He has spent the past two seasons in Athletic’s first team, making 53 La Liga appearances, and has one international cap.

| Report Focus News
The fee Chelsea have paid surpasses the £60m they spent on Spanish striker Alvaro Morata in July 2017.

“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.”

In January, Kepa signed a new long-term contract until 2025, amid interest from Real Madrid.

He is the second major key player to leave the club this year, after Manchester City signed French defender Aymeric Laporte for £57min January.

A world record – for 20 days
Before Alisson moved from Roma to Liverpool in July, Gianluigi Buffon had spent 17 years as the most expensive goalkeeper in world football.

The 40-year-old Italian, who this summer left Juventus to join

Paris St-Germain, was purchased for 53m euros by Juve from Parma on 3 July 2001.

While that record stood for 6,225 days, the fee paid for Alisson was surpassed within 20 days.