Tuchel offers Kepa chance to turn struggles around

IT was no coincidence that Kepa Arrizabalaga was officially unveiled as a Chelsea player just an hour after Thibaut Courtois had been presented by Real Madrid back in August 2018.

Losing Courtois had been a blow and, with Kepa’s proud family in attendance for his £71.6million club record signing, Chelsea were keen to show off the world’s most expensive goalkeeper in a packed Stamford Bridge press room. But, two-and-ahalf years later, it may be inside an empty Oakwell Stadium tonight that the Spaniard attempts to pick up the pieces of his career against Barnsley in the FA Cup.

Kepa’s situation at Chelsea had become irretrievable before Frank Lampard was sacked and Thomas Tuchel was appointed as his successor. It might still be the case that the 26-year-old is fighting a losing battle to convince the club’s latest head coach that he can make a comeback of Lazarus proportions.

But whether Tuchel’s arrival offers a new start for Kepa or proves to be the beginning of the end of his time at Chelsea, he will hope that his slate has at least been wiped clean in preparation for what follows.

“He will play (against Barnsley),” said Tuchel. “From outside, of course we had a view on his situation and some difficulties on the sporting side. Maybe, also, the circumstances of his transfer are a little bit on his shoulders.

“The good thing for him is that this is a new start because I don’t have a history with him and I hope there will be no difficulties, and I don’t see them coming.”

Asked if he believes Kepa can turn around his situation at Chelsea, Tuchel replied: “Absolutely. Today, I absolutely believe this.”

There remains a sense that Chelsea would like Kepa to be given a second chance before having to make a final decision on his future. Director Marina Granovskaia took time out from her summer break last year to share a personal heart-to-heart with the player in an effort to offer support and try to plot a path forward.

Lampard had initially recommended replacing him with Jan Oblak, but Chelsea did not want to break the record for the most expensive goalkeeper for a second time and did not want to shut the door on Kepa at that stage, so Edouard Mendy was signed for £20m on the recommendation of Petr Cech instead.

Mendy’s clean sheet percentage is already far higher than Kepa’s and the Senegal international has only conceded once in Tuchel’s first four games in charge, meaning he will remain the first-choice goalkeeper even if Kepa continues to play in the FA Cup and performs well.

Those close to Kepa insist he remains happy in his work, albeit not with his form or being out of the team, and he has never been viewed as a negative personality at the training ground.

Nobody at Chelsea or within Kepa’s circle has attempted to excuse his disappointing performances but a first appearance under Tuchel against Barnsley would be an opportunity for Kepa to start putting the past behind him. (© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2021)

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