Chelsea have been warned they are making a mistake selling Kepa Arrizabalaga to Premier League rivals Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta is set to welcome the 30-year-old to Arsenal in the coming days as he looks for a new back-up goalkeeper.
Loan signing Neto performed that role for the Gunners last season but struggled in his one and only appearance and has now returned to Bournemouth.
Arsenal believe Kepa can be a capable deputy to Raya next season and have reportedly agreed a £5m deal with London rivals Chelsea.
Chelsea spent £72m on Kepa in 2018 – making him the most expensive goalkeeper in history – but the Spain international struggled at Stamford Bridge before losing his place in the team.
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Despite Kepa returning to Chelsea from his season-long loan at Bournemouth, the Blues have expressed interest in signing a new shot-stopper this summer and clearly do not rate the soon-to-be Arsenal player.
But former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has questioned the decision to sell Kepa to Arsenal following his ‘unbelievable’ season on the south coast.
Wright-Phillips even believes Kepa could have emerged as Chelsea’s No. 1 once more, saving the club potentially millions this summer.
‘I’m confused. I don’t understand,’ Wright-Phillips told Betway when asked abut Kepa’s imminent move to the Emirates Stadium.
‘It’s like nobody’s been watching Kepa this season. He’s been unbelievable. He is part of the reason why Bournemouth finished where they finished.
Ray Parlour reacts to Arsenal’s move for Kepa
Arsenal hero Ray Parlour believes Kepa should reject a summer move to his beloved Gunners.
‘It’s all on whether he wants to play, he’s not going to play at Arsenal is he?
‘He’s going to be the No.2, do you want to be No.2? He’s obviously been No.1 at Bournemouth. If you’re Arsenal, you want to buy him because he’s a great No.2 to have.
‘But if you’re Kepa, you want to play unless you’re happy to sit on the bench but if I was a keeper at his age I’d want to play because you’ll regret it once you finish.’
Speaking to talkSPORT
‘The defence was outstanding, but Kepa was unbelievable, as well, I thought.
‘I assumed while the season was going on that Chelsea didn’t need to buy a goalkeeper because Kepa was going back anyway, but that isn’t to be the case.
‘You can have as good a goalkeeper as you want, but if you’re still going to make the same mistakes in defence, your goalkeeper is still going to concede.
‘That’s just the fact of the matter. [Liverpool goalkeeper] Alisson pulls off amazing saves when he’s needed. Half the time he has to pull off a save, it’s not forced errors.
‘So if Chelsea can get their defence like that, where they’re not making him make unnecessary saves he shouldn’t have to make, then I think Kepa is your man to keep. You don’t need to forage around.
‘Most managers now are looking for goalkeepers that are good with their feet. I think Kepa’s alright with his feet, but he might not be at the level they want him to be.
‘But for me, it’s a real strange one.’
Chelsea are looking to sign a new goalkeeper following Robert Sanchez’s inconsistent season at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues were in advanced talks to sign France’s No. 1 Mike Maignan from AC Milan but the deal collapsed earlier this week, with Chelsea unwilling to match the Serie A club’s valuation.
Chelsea have multiple goalkeepers on their books but Sanchez has flattered to deceive between the sticks and Dorde Petrovic is set to leave in the pursuit of more game-time.
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