Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
£71M? IT’S NO BIG DEAL
Kepa: I do not think about record fee but Chelsea have made a great bet in taking me
KEPA ARRIZABALAGA clocked on at Chelsea as the world’s most expensive goalkeeper at £71million, shrugged and said: “I don’t feel any extra pressure.”
The £10m-a-year stopper, who signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge after completing his move from Athletic Bilbao, admitted: “It’s very brave of the club to sign me.”
But Kepa, 23, insists goalkeepers deserve to attract the same huge transfer fees as strikers.
He insisted: “There is a new way to value goalkeepers.
“It’s great that big fees are paid for strikers and other players – but why not for goalkeepers too?
“It’s a good way to acknowledge the importance of a good keeper.”
Predecessor Thibaut Courtois won two Premier League titles during four years as Chelsea’s No.1.
But when the Belgian signed off with a thank-you message to the fans after joining Real Madrid, the reaction on social media was vicious.
Some branded Courtois a “snake” for daring to move back to the city where his children live.
And others were upset when Courtois kissed the Real badge at his unveiling after going AWOL from training at Chelsea to force through his move to the Bernabeu. But Kepa is not concerned that the fans will be hard to please.
“The only pressure I experience is the pressure I put on myself,” he said. “I am a player who demands a lot from myself and this has always been the same.
“I don’t think about the price – it’s not something I have in my mind. I just think Chelsea have made a great bet in taking me and I’ll do everything to repay the trust they have put in me.”
Kepa is relishing his head-tohead with Manchester United’s David de Gea – Spain’s current first-choice keeper – for the Premier League’s Golden Glove, awarded for the most clean sheets.
De Gea overcame a sticky start to become lionised at Old Trafford.
But Chelsea’s record recruit said: “The Golden Glove will be nothing more than the result of the season we play. Having a good season doesn’t only depend on me, but the whole team.
“Will this move make me a better player? Of course.
“This is a new experience and all experiences make you better. Over the next seven years, I expect great growth – both personally and collectively as a team.
“I hope we will win many, many titles and that, when I look back in seven years’ time, I can be very proud of what I achieved.”