London, Aug 9 (IANS) Chelsea have signed Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao for a record transfer fee of 80 million euros ($92.6 million) for a goalkeeper.
The two clubs on Wednesday reached a deal reportedly worth 80 million euros and the 23-year-old Spaniard signed a seven-year contract with the 2017 English Premier League champions, reports Xinhua news agency.
Upon completing his move to Chelsea, Kepa said: “It’s a very important decision for me, for my career, and also for my personal life.”
“I saw him one year ago (when I was at) Naples and my first impression was he was a very good goalkeeper. Very young, but very, very good,” Chelsea’s head coach Maurizio Sarri spoke highly of the Spanish goalkeeper.
Kepa’s deal eclipsed the 72.5 million euros Liverpool paid Roma to make Alisson Becker the world’s most expensive goalkeeper in July.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have also signed Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic on a season-long loan deal.
The 24-year-old Kovacic was a part-time starter for Real Madrid in recent seasons and a member of the Croatian team that reached the 2018 World Cup final.
