Chelsea decide on their No. 1 goalkeeper ahead of summer window

Chelsea decide to make Kepa Arrizabalaga as club’s No. 1 goalkeeper

Chelsea will choose between four goalkeepers as they search for a backup for Kepa Arrizabalaga during the summer transfer window.

And according to the Daily Mail (h/t Football.London), Kepa has earned the top slot due to his recent success. Chelsea are now searching for a reserve goalkeeper rather than a first-choice alternative as a result of that decision.

As five goalkeepers have worked alongside the regular squad this season, including Marcus Bettinelli, Eddie Beach, and Gabriel Slonina, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy have split the gloves for a number of campaigns.

Throughout the January transfer window, a preliminary shortlist that identified areas Chelsea intended to bolster in the summer became available. The four positions that the Blues were hoping to fill were goalkeeper, new striker, central midfielder, and central defender.

Finding a backup goalkeeper suggests two things for Chelsea. The first concern is with Mendy, who may now depart in the summer due to complications with a new contract.

Another noteworthy possibility is that Slonina will be on loan next season, suggesting that the 18-year-old is more of a long-term contender for the position.

Under Thomas Tuchel, Mendy had consistently been the initial choice, but Kepa won the position because of an injury that occurred to the former Rennes goalkeeper just as Potter took over.

The 31-year-old was also prevented from battling the Spaniard to reclaim his spot by a fractured finger, but he is getting closer thanks to Mendy’s modest training.

We already have Mendy and Kepa, both of whom have been excellent goalkeepers. If the Senegalese International return to full training, Mendy will have to compete for a spot, and he would surely not want to be the backup.

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• Zinedine Zidane and Luis Enrique emerge as favourites to succeed Graham Potter at Chelsea
• Napoli ready to splash the cash to keep Chelsea target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

He has reached many highs with the Blues and his national team in recent years and the 31-year-old will surely not want to spend the last few years of his career being a backup to someone, albeit at a top club like Chelsea. We’ve been here with Kepa before.

He has shown promise at times before showing flaws in his game, especially high-profile errors. Nevertheless, it would make no sense at all to search and spend on a goalie given the options we currently have.