Al-Ittihad send official offer to unwanted Chelsea star ahead of proposed move

Posted Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by Caughtoffside.com

Saudi side Al-Ittihad have sent an official offer to Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga and are waiting for a response from the Spaniard according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

It's been a busy summer at Stamford Bridge with six new faces arriving at the club, but the Blues are reportedly still in the market for a winger and a striker.

Chelsea are also desperate to offload a number of players, and having already sold Ian Maatsen and Omari Hutchinson, the club are hoping they will be able to move on Arrizabalaga and Romelu Lukaku.

Kepa receives offer from Al-Ittihad

Al-Ittihad had an initial offer for the 29-year-old rejected earlier this month, but reports have suggested the club are still in talks with Chelsea over a possible move.

The Spaniard has returned to pre-season training with the Blues, but is believed to be training away from the first team squad whilst his future is sorted.

Galetti has reported that Al-Ittihad have sent the goalkeeper an official offer of a long term contract worth €7m per year.

He took to X.com and said:

"#AlIttihad sent an official bid to #Kepa: a long-term contract with a salary set at €7m/y.

"The club is waiting for a response from the GK. Talks are always underway also with #Chelsea, who consider him out of the plans: contacts with PIF will continue."

Arrizabalaga spent last season on loan at Real Madrid where he made 20 appearances in all competitions and won La Liga and the Champions League.

Reports have suggested that a return to Madrid isn't completely off the table given Andriy Lunin has yet to sign a new deal with his current one expiring in 2025.

Chelsea made Arrizabalaga the most expensive goalkeeper in the world when they paid Athletic Bilbao £71.6m back in 2018 and he's gone on to make 163 appearances for the club.

The keeper is in the final year of his contract and has almost certainly played his last game for the club, with Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic set to battle it out to be Enzo Maresca's first choice next season.