Kepa informs Arsenal he wants to leave, exit now increasingly likely & possible replacement named | OneFootball

Arsenal’s backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has reportedly informed the club that he wants to leave for more first-team football.

A transfer now looks increasingly likely for the Spanish shot-stopper, who only joined the Gunners from Chelsea last summer.

Having struggled to get past David Raya in the pecking order at Arsenal, it seems Kepa has now already decided to move on, with possible replacements already lined up, according to TEAMtalk.

One of the main names being linked is former Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier, but others could also come into the equation.

Either way, it seems likely that Kepa’s time at Arsenal will be short, and it will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old ends up next.

Arsenal need a Kepa replacement

Kepa played 12 games for Arsenal last season and didn’t exactly cover himself in glory when he did occasionally get on the pitch.

The former Chelsea ‘keeper was notably poor for Mikel Arteta’s side in their Carabao Cup final defeat against Manchester City, so perhaps it’s for the best if the club bring in an upgrade to be their backup next season.

There seems little prospect of Raya losing his place as number one any time soon after some world class performances in Arsenal’s title victory, but they could still have a more solid number two there in case of injuries or suspensions.

Someone like Meslier might be a more reliable option, with Kepa arguably looking like a risky signing as soon as he joined, having often made some high-profile individual errors during much of his time at Chelsea.