Arsenal have been warned they are making a ‘strange’ transfer mistake by sending £5million on Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arizabalaga.
The 30-year-old spent last season on loan at Bournemouth and contributed to a superb season for the Cherries.
Despite an impressive campaign, Kapa has been deemed surplus to requirements by Chelsea who are willing to let a player who once cost them £72m leave for a modest fee.
Arsenal are looking to sign a new goalkeeper to provide competition for David Raya who firmly established himself as the club’s undisputed No.1 last season.
The Gunners held long-term interest in Espanyol’s Joan Garcia but he has opted to join Barcelona where he is likely to instantly become first choice.
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Undeterred by that setback, Arsenal have moved swiftly to secure the services of a player with a proven Premier League pedigree, much to the bafflement of former Gunners captain William Gallas.
‘I think Kepa to Arsenal would be a strange signing,’ he told Prime Casino.
‘The second choice goalkeeper should be a young player who is learning that can take over from David Raya in a few years time.
‘I’m not sure why you’d bring in someone who is older than him with no eye to the future.
‘Arsenal should be looking for someone in their early 20s who can learn and grow, playing in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup,
‘Kepa isn’t that player.’
Those sentiments were echoed by Gallas’ former Chelsea teammate, Shaun Wright-Phillips, who cannot fathom why the Conference League holders are getting rid of Kepa.
‘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.
‘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.’
