Kepa Arrizabalaga, once considered the most expensive goalkeeper in the world, now finds himself in third choice position at Arsenal. The news emerged during the fourth round of the League Cup, when manager Mikel Arteta decided not to field the Basque goalkeeper on the pitch, instead leaving Frenchman Illian Meslier, a new arrival from Leeds, in place of Kepa.
In 2018 Chelsea paid 80 million euros to release Kepa from Athletic Club Bilbao, making him the highest paid goalkeeper in the world. Since then his career has suffered a slow decline. In 2020-21, at Chelsea, he was surpassed by Edouard Mendy's shoulder, and his performance in the 2022 League Cup final against Liverpool was decisive: a missed penalty forced the team to suffer defeat. The goalkeeper was subsequently loaned to Real Madrid, where he was re-evaluated by Danijel Lunin, and then to Bournemouth, before arriving at Arsenal.
At Arsenal, Kepa had few opportunities to play despite winning the Premier League. The last time he played was in the previous round of the League Cup, when manager Arteta chose to start Meslier in a match against Ipswich Town, which Arsenal won 4‑2. This evening, against League Two club Fleetwood, Kepa was dropped from the bench, confirming his position as third choice.
Kepa's decline has been accompanied by a series of inconsistent performances and an increasing number of alternative goalkeeping options. Manager Arteta has shown his preference for Meslier, who made his full debut for the Gunners after arriving in the summer. With the current situation, Kepa will have to demonstrate that he can return to form to regain the trust of the manager and the fans. The Basque goalkeeper's future remains uncertain, but his presence at Arsenal will continue to be closely monitored by the club authorities and the football media.