Kepa Arrizabalaga

[robsblubot 3,205]

1 minute ago, Jason said:

I guess if you want something positive - we have always been decent when it comes to getting our No.1 keeper..?

Hah very true!

prob different scouts - like good ones.

[Jase 43,479]

1 minute ago, El P. said:

wikipedia.org

But the Wiki result on Google states 186. How contradicting!  

[Blusan Alamb 295]

2 minutes ago, El P. said:

wikipedia.org

 

1.86 is from google search I think

[El P. 1,354]

Just now, Jason said:

But the Wiki result on Google states 186. How contradicting!  

I always check heights on different pages to be sure, they tend to be inaccurate.

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, El P. said:

I always check heights on different pages to be sure, they tend to be inaccurate.

Transfermarkt and Whoscored also have him at 189. In that case, then he's not the shortest among the top six.  

[Jase 43,479]

[whats happening 1,439]

who cares about 3 centimeters...

[Pizy 17,860]

He's a young keeper who has made mistakes. Not a big deal. I prefer to focus on the good highlights I've watched on YouTube where his reflexes look insane. Like, De Gea-like insane.

Give him time and stay behind him even if he struggles initially.

[BlueStorm1003 539]

Just now, Pizy said:

Give him time and stay behind him even if he struggles initially.

This is so crucial. I know there will be many who will immediately jump at him when he makes a mistake or has a generally bad match. We need to push him forward! 

[ZanSnake 1,211]

7 minutes ago, Jason said:

Hopefully Captain Dave 

[Blue Armour 4,158]

9 minutes ago, Jason said:

Good

Hopefully that will mean we have good communication between the keeper and one of the outfield defenders from the start.

Must have for the this team

 

[Jase 43,479]

8 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

Good

Hopefully that will mean we have good communication between the keeper and one of the outfield defenders from the start.

Must have for the this team

 

We now have 6 Spanish players in the first team. Our squad seem to be heavily stacked with Brazilians, Spaniards or Belgians at one time or another.

[bluephoenix 1,125]

Welcome to Chelsea FC. Wish you all the success!

 

[DDA 9,570]

Welcome Kepa. I hope you hit the ground running. We need you too! Buzzing!

[The Skipper 20,593]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

He signed a SEVEN-year contract. SEVEN!

Seven years because of amortisation, to spread the transfer fee over the contract. 70/7 = 10m per season on the books. 

[kellzfresh 7,226]

 

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

3 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

Seven years because of amortisation, to spread the transfer fee over the contract. 70/7 = 10m per season on the books. 

Actually its 20.22M per season on the books... Amortization has to include the transfer fee as well.

This is close to must not flop territory. 

[Superblue 6,331]

We can all argue about the transfer fee, could it have been spent on another area of the pitch, etc.

The fact is we needed to replace Courtois this summer. His AWOL this week confirms keeping him in his last year of his contract just wouldn't have worked. Yes our team still has areas of potential weakness, and hopefully these are areas which will be addressed in time. But goalkeeper needed sorting now and the club has acted accordingly.

Rather than just trying to plug the gap with a short term solution or a player that the club wasn't entirely sold on but was relatively cheap, we've gone and paid a premium price for someone that we have identified as the man we want regardless of the large fee and hopefully locking down a key area of the pitch for many years with a player who is highly rated and being tipped to be one of the very best around.

They are certainly not immune to criticism but in this instance I think the board should be commended with the bold approach we've just taken.