LONDON, United Kingdom, Aug 27 – Bournemouth have agreed a season-long loan deal for Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The move is expected to end Bournemouth’s interest in Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale, while Mark Travers may now leave the club before Friday’s transfer deadline.
Kepa, 29, has also extended his contract at Stamford Bridge until the end of the 2026 season.
His deal was due to expire in June 2025 which would have allowed him to leave Chelsea on a free transfer at the end of his loan spell with the Cherries.
Kepa remains the world’s most expensive ever goalkeeper having moved to the Blues in 2018 from his boyhood club Athletic Bilbao for £71m.
He has been training, along with 14 other players, away from manager Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad and is believed to have no future at Stamford Bridge.
The Spain international spent last season on loan at Real Madrid, where he made 20 appearances as a replacement for an injured Thibaut Courtois, winning La Liga and the Champions League.
Real manager Carlo Ancelotti had been interested in re-signing the Spaniard but it was dependent on Andriy Lunin leaving the club.
Kepa also rejected a permanent move to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad in July.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have signed teenage Belgian keeper Mike Penders for £17m from Genk but he will not join the club until the beginning of next season.
And Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq, who are managed by Steven Gerrard, are in advanced talks to sign versatile attacker Harvey Vale from Chelsea. A club-to-club agreement is broadly in place but Vale must now decide whether to make the move.
