There have been plenty of rumours surrounding Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and he is now expected to complete a move to Real Madrid in the January transfer window.
According to AS, Los Blancos are ready to pay the release clause for the highly rated young keeper and the club are looking to get the deal concluded in the first week of the window. Real acting early will mean that the player has more time to settle in and challenge for the number one shirt.
It is also being reported that Real Madrid President Florentino Perez had thought of paying more than the player’s release clause in order to keep a good relationship with Athletic Bilbao, but the club have now decided to just pay the release clause in order to get the deal done.
Kiko Casilla To Move On?
With the arrival of Kepa, the goalkeeping options at the Santiago Bernabeu are set to be overhauled. This is likely to mean that one of the current goalkeepers will be moving on in the January Transfer window. Kiko Casilla will probably be the player moving on, though it is unclear at this point where his future lies.
Once he joins Real, Kepa will be competing with Keylor Navas for the number one position at the club. It is then fairly likely that Navas will move on to pastures new in the summer as he wouldn’t be happy sitting on the bench in the long term.
Kepa’s release clause is said to be £17million and Athletic will have no choice but to sell. They had hoped to convince him to sign a new deal but he appears to have made his mind up to leave the club. The youngster made his international debut for the Spanish national team in November against Costa Rica.
