Kepa Arrizabalaga and Dean Huijsen celebrate (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
Arsenal appear set to complete the signing of Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, according to Gunners expert Charles Watts.
Writing in his exclusive CaughtOffside column, Watts praised the prospect of a deal for Kepa for just £5m, which he feels should be fantastic business by Arsenal.
Kepa struggled to find his best form at Chelsea, but he did a decent job on loan at Bournemouth in the season just gone.
The Spanish shot-stopper would also only be moving to the Emirates Stadium as backup to David Raya, so doesn’t need to be the most exciting ‘keeper in the world.
As a backup, Kepa looks more or less ideal, according to Watts.
Kepa Arrizabalaga to Arsenal transfer deal praised by Charles Watts
“I think the Kepa deal is a fantastic one if it gets done, which it appears it will,” Watts said.
“Arsenal have acted really quickly after it became clear that Joan Garcia would not be arriving from Espanyol this summer and have all but wrapped up a really smart piece of business.
“Landing a keeper like Kepa for just £5 million is an absolute steal. I’m honestly baffled at how there seems to be some who are questioning it.
“I can only think the issue for some is that it will be another signing from Chelsea. I can understand that in a way given what has gone on in the past, but when you put that to one side and just take this deal for what it is then there is nothing to complain about.
“You are talking about a keeper approaching his best years who has plenty of experience and is a senior international. He had a very good season on loan at Bournemouth last season and the season before he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League while he was there.
“Yes, he had some high profile issues when he first arrived at Chelsea. The world record transfer fee clearly was a weight on his shoulders that he struggled to deal with.
“But those days are behind him. He’s shown himself to be a fine goalkeeper at this level.
“And remember, he’s coming in as a No.2. Providing Raya stays fit, then Kepa will only play a handful of games.
“It’s just a really good deal at an exceptional price. And the fact it looks like it will be wrapped up early in the summer is a real positive.”
What happened with Joan Garcia?
Watts also provided some insight into why Arsenal didn’t end up signing another goalkeeper in the form of Espanyol’s Joan Garcia.
He added: “We all know that Garcia was the keeper Arsenal really wanted, but the season he just had at Espanyol basically made that an impossible deal to do this summer.
“He was never going to come to be Raya’s No.2. His remarkable progress during the past 12 months ended Arsenal’s hopes of getting him.
“So they had to move on to other targets and in moving so quickly for Kepa and taking advantage of that release clause they have shown a lot of nous in the market.”
