Arsenal have officially completed the acquisition of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea in a transfer valued at £5 million. The 30-year-old Spain international joins the Gunners on a three-year deal, following a season-long loan spell at Bournemouth where he made 35 appearances. Expressing his enthusiasm for the move, Kepa stated his excitement and eagerness for the challenges ahead, highlighting the club's ambition and the desire for victory conveyed by Mikel Arteta and Inaki Cana.

Kepa Arrizabalaga remains the world's most expensive goalkeeper, a record set when he moved to Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao in 2018 for £71 million. His arrival at Emirates Stadium is expected to create strong competition for his compatriot, David Raya, in the goalkeeping position. This move also follows Arsenal's decision not to permanently sign Neto, who was on loan from Bournemouth during the 2024-25 campaign.

During his tenure at Chelsea, Kepa played 163 times and was part of the squads that secured the Champions League, Europa League, and Club World Cup titles. He also spent a year on loan at Real Madrid, contributing to their La Liga and Champions League victories in the 2023-24 season. Despite these achievements, Kepa often found himself a 'victim of his price tag' at Chelsea. His initial £71 million transfer in 2018 came after Thibaut Courtois' departure and Alisson's decision to join Liverpool, leading Athletic Club to enforce his full release clause.

While highly regarded internally for his professionalism, positive character, and being a good squad member – despite a notable incident in the 2019 Carabao Cup final where he refused substitution – many felt he struggled to justify the record fee and his reported £190,000-a-week wages. Although consistently seen as a good player, he was not widely considered to be worth a world-record transfer sum for a goalkeeper, a perception that often overshadowed his capabilities.