Kepa Arrizabalaga has moved to Real Madrid on a season-long loan from Chelsea (Picture: Getty Images)
Kepa Arrizabalaga says there was no need to think when Real Madrid were interested in him over the summer, feeling like he needed a change after five years at Chelsea.
The goalkeeper signed for the Spanish giants on a season-long deal, after their first choice stopper, Thibault Courtois, suffered a serious knee injury.
The 29-year-old has made nine appearances already this season, with Real sitting top of La Liga and their Champions League group, so things are going well.
Despite not always impressing at Chelsea, there was no shortage of interest in Kepa over the summer, with Bayern Munich also keen to sign him, but he said that Real Madrid was the only option for him when he knew they wanted him.
‘The loan to Madrid was very quick,’ Kepa told AS. ‘Everything was sealed in a few hours, with just two phone calls.
‘I had spent five seasons at a big club, Chelsea, and I thought a change could be good for me. It’s true that there was the option of Bayern… but Real Madrid called and I didn’t have to think about it.
‘If there were other opportunities before it didn’t matter, what matters is that it became a reality last summer.’
Kepa has already made nine starts for Real Madrid this season (Picture: Getty Images)
Courtois will be expecting to regain his place in the starting XI when he is fit again and Kepa’s future is unclear when that happens and past the end of this season, but he is not concerning himself with that now.
‘I don’t want to start thinking in October about what could happen [next] July,’ he said. ‘But what I can say is that I am very happy.
‘Of course, I will not lack effort and enthusiasm. I will try to help make Madrid’s history even greater and enjoy every minute, every game to its fullest.’
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