Chelsea manager Frank Lampard refused to be drawn on the future of goalkeeper Kep Arrizabalaga as the Spaniard looks set for a rare start in goal for the Blues this weekend in the FA Cup.
Kepa has been frozen out of the first choice starting eleven after an error-strewn 2019/20 and start ot the 202/21 campaign which eventually forced Lampard into the transfer market to sign Edouard Mendy from Rennes.
Mendy has taken over the undisputed number one spot in between the sticks at Stamford Bridge meaning Kepa has been restricted to one appreance in a Champions League dead rubber against Krasnodar and hasn’t appeared in the top flight since the 3-3 draw with Southampton on October 17.
Kepa became the world’s most expensive shot stopper when he signed for Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao for £71million in August 2018 on a whopping seven-year deal to replace Thibaut Courtois who had departed for Real Madrid.
He kept 14 clean sheets in his first season in goal for Maurizio Sarri but that went down to eight when the Italian was replaced by Lampard, with Kepa responsible for some high-profile clangers.
It didn’t get much better at the start of 2020/21 and Lampard eventually replaced the Spaniard with Mendy.
Speculation has been rife that the Blues are desperate to move Kepa on with more than five years still remaining on his contract in east London. Finding a buyer won’t be easy but he has been linked with a return to his homeland and Sevilla are reportedly keen on his services.
Kepa is likely to start in goal as Chelsea take on Morecambe in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday which will be his first start since early December.
The Blues manager praised the professionalism of the keeper despite barely playing, saying: “Well at the moment he’s our player and I think the situation is clear, Edou’s (Edouard Mendy) come in, he’s been playing regularly as the number one for us.
"When Kepa came in for the Champions League game he did well, and he’s trained really well. His attitude around the place has been brilliant.
“So I won’t be drawn on that one at the moment, he’s our player, we’ll see how January goes. But I don’t want to be alluding to what might or might not be.
