Kepa’s Loan to Real Madrid Smashes Keylor’s Comeback Dreams
Real Madrid Sign Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has secured a season-long loan deal with Real Madrid, marking his return to the Spanish club he once came close to joining, a deal that was not finalized due to Zinedine Zidane’s preference for Keylor Navas over Kepa.
The 28-year-old shot-stopper made a high-profile move to Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao in 2018. Florentino Pérez, the President of Real Madrid, was the one who successfully negotiated a loan deal with Chelsea that will see Kepa donning the Real Madrid jersey. Thus, the Real Madrid sign Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan until June 30, 2024.
Courtois’ Injury
This decision comes as a strategic response to the unfortunate ACL injury suffered by Real Madrid’s primary goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois. The injury, sustained during training, has sidelined Courtois for a significant portion of the season. With Courtois’ absence, the need for an experienced and reliable replacement became paramount for the club to up their La Liga standings and La Liga stats.
Kepa’s loan move to Real Madrid, orchestrated swiftly by the club’s management, comes after his impressive performance at Chelsea and the trust he has earned within the football community. His capabilities were further highlighted by Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea’s head coach, who commended Kepa’s commitment and contributions to the team.
His international experience with the Spanish national group from La Liga teams, along with his honed goalkeeping skills, make him not only a valuable addition to a roster, but also made Real Madrid sign Kepa Arrizabalaga. Furthermore, the club is prepared to acquire him in the current winter transfer market by paying the 20 million euros release clause to Athletic Bilbao.
Higher Market Value Than Keylor Navas
Kepa’s recent rise in market value showcases his journey from having a valuation of three million euros to now being worth 20 million euros, while Keylor Navas’ value has dropped from 20 to 18 million euros in the same timeframe.
This development has positioned Kepa as the tenth most valuable goalkeeper in the world, tied for ninth place with Sergio Rico. The list is led by Oblak with a value of fifty million euros, followed by Donnarumma, Courtois, Ter Stegen, and De Gea, all with forty million euros. Keylor occupies the eleventh position with a market value of eighteen million euros.
Keylor’s Save Percentage Outperforms the Chosen Shot-Stopper’s
Keylor faces more shots and has a better save percentage. In the statistical realm of shots faced and save percentage, the current Real Madrid goalkeeper outperforms his counterpart at Athletic. Keylor Navas has faced seventy-three shots in the current league season and has made fifty-eight saves, resulting in a 78.08% success rate. On the other hand, Kepa has faced sixty-nine shots and made forty-nine saves, translating to a save percentage of 71.01%, which gives one a lot to think about. Still, Real Madrid signed Kepa Arrizabalaga, skipping over Keylor and what comes out of it remains to be seen!
Let’s “keep on keeping on” with Point Spreads! Call all the shots with the best!