Chelsea ball-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga has joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal. The Spaniard international joined the Blues' ranks back in 2018 from Athletic Bilbao for £71.6m. It is reported that Real Madrid were looking for a new goalkeeper after Thibaut Courtois suffered an ACL injury in training on Thursday which is expected to keep him out for most of the season. A statement on the Los Blancos' official website read: “Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC have agreed on the loan of the player Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is linked to the club this season, until June 30, 2024. In his five seasons at Chelsea, he has won one Champions League, one Club World Cup, one European Super Cup, and one Europa League. This year, he has received the award for the best save in the Premier League for the 2022/2023 season. Kepa is an international with the Spanish team, with which he has been proclaimed champion of the 2023 Nations League. With Spain, he also won the U19 European Championship in 2012.”

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The goalkeeper will be presented formally as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday. His return to Spain follows the arrival of 25-year-old compatriot Robert Sanchez at Stamford Bridge. Sanchez made a £25m switch from Brighton earlier this month and started Sunday's 1-1 home draw with Liverpool as youngster Lucas Bergstrom provided the backup on the bench. Kepa has made 163 appearances for Chelsea and he was named the club's captain last season. He has, however, become surplus to requirements under the new Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino. He is now headed to work under former Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti. "The club wish him well for the season ahead in Madrid, where he will work with former Chelsea head coach Carlo Ancelotti," Chelsea said in a statement.

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Kepa could make his debut for Real Madrid in their second La Liga game of the season against Almeria which will be played on Saturday. Kepa was previously on the verge of joining Madrid from Athletic in January 2018, but a change of plans saw the club opt to sign Courtois later that year. Kepa then replaced Courtois at Chelsea in a record €80 million ($87.6m) deal for a goalkeeper. He was then the first choice at Stamford Bridge for his first two seasons before the arrival of Edouard Mendy who then took up his place. Kepa then regained his starting position for much of the 2022-23 campaign which turned out to be one of the worst runs for Chelsea in the English top-flight football. There was no consensus at the Bernabeu over a move for David de Gea who left Manchester United this summer and Kepa soon emerged as the favourite candidate. He was very close to joining Bundesliga title holders Bayern Munich but the deal was immediately put on hold once Real Madrid showed interest in him. 

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(Image: Sky Sports)