Kepa’s Real Madrid loan: How they beat Bayern Munich to the Chelsea goalkeeper

In January 2018, doubts over Keylor Navas prompted a goalkeeper search at Real Madrid.

Kepa Arrizabalaga of Athletic Bilbao was lined up as a replacement, but with a deal practically completed, Madrid’s then-head coach Zinedine Zidane pulled the plug.

Zidane instead preferred to back other squad members until the end of that season, a stance supported by prominent dressing-room figures such as Sergio Ramos, Madrid’s captain at the time. Arrizabalaga ended up renewing his contract with Athletic, signing a new deal up to 2025 with a release clause of €80million (£68.8m/$87.5m at today’s exchange rates).

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Some wondered whether Zidane’s decision was influenced by the fact his son Luca, then 19, was one of the club’s backup goalkeepers.

That summer, Zidane senior suddenly stepped down, and his departure triggered a goalkeeper dance: Thibaut Courtois arrived at the Bernabeu from Chelsea, who went straight for Arrizabalaga. At 23 years old, Arrizabalaga became the most expensive goalkeeper in history as the Premier League club matched his release clause.

Madrid have few regrets about signing Courtois, who cost them €40million. But still, the situation was instructive for the club’s senior management. They realised they had made a mistake by giving so much power over transfer decisions to a coach, and have sought to avoid doing so again in the years since.

Over the years that followed, despite some disappointing moments for him at Chelsea, Madrid’s board never lost their appreciation for Arrizabalaga, now 28 and with 13 caps for Spain. So, after Courtois’ ACL knee injury in training last week greatly disrupted the club’s plans for the new season, they acted quickly and decisively to close a deal.

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