Arsenal are close to securing a backup for David Raya, with Andrea Berta agreeing a deal for Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Signing a number two goalkeeper is one of several things on Andrea Berta’s to-do list this summer, and the sporting director appears to have sourced one quickly and efficiently.
Berta had wanted to sign Joan Garcia, but the Espanyol man has chosen to join Barcelona instead.
Arsenal are now expected to sign Kepa, who has a £5 million release clause in his contract at Chelsea, with the Gunners’ sporting director convincing the shot-stopper to move to the Emirates despite likely sitting on the bench for the majority of next season.
That said, it’s possible that the North Londoners have offered Kepa a slightly more prominent role than a number two goalkeeper can usually expect.
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Mikel Arteta must avoid Arsene Wenger’s David Ospina mistake with Kepa Arrizabalaga
Kepa enjoyed an impressive loan spell at Bournemouth last season, keeping nine clean sheets in 35 Premier League appearances for the Cherries.
Proving himself as an adept goalkeeper in the English top flight, he certainly would’ve had suitors offering him the number one shirt.
Thus, to accept the Raya deputy role, Mikel Arteta must’ve offered him assurances over game time, beyond just a handful of appearances in the domestic cup competitions.
It’s possible that part of the agreement is that Kepa will play meaningful games in the League Phase of the Champions League.
However, Arteta should refrain from doing this, with Arsene Wenger’s experimentation with this model with David Ospina in 2015 proving it doesn’t work.
The Gunners had signed Petr Cech from Chelsea in the summer of 2015 to usurp Ospina as the number one at the Emirates.
However, Wenger kept the Colombian and started him in Arsenal’s two opening Champions League group stage matches, against Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos, and they lost both.
Ospina, not match sharp given his lack of game time at the start of that season, made a howler against the Greek side, dropping the ball into his own net from a corner.
The keeper was generally poor throughout both games, and Arsenal subsequently had to pull off a remarkable turnaround in their next four group stage matches with Cech in goal, to remain in Europe’s elite competition that season.
Kepa, who boasts a similar pedigree to Ospina, occasionally struggles when brought in from the cold.
Thus, Arteta cannot make the same mistake as Wenger, with Arsenal having realistic aspirations of winning the Champions League next season.
Kepa should be limited to cup competitions
Ray Parlour warned Kepa not to join Arsenal due to the lack of minutes he’s likely to receive in N5.
However, the potential opportunity to play in the Champions League and remain at a club fighting for major honours must’ve appealed to him.
That said, Arteta should only use the number two in domestic cup games.
The best goalkeeper in the squad should play all the important games when fit, with this continuity helping the backline in front of them.
Raya had a spectacular season for Arsenal in 2024/25, and has shown remarkable durability over his first two seasons in North London; he doesn’t need resting in Champions League games.
Kepa can use his minutes in the cups to try and impress Arteta, but ultimately, he shouldn’t play a meaningful role unless Raya sustains an injury.
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