Former Arsenal captain William Gallas has expressed concern that the Gunners are making a ‘strange’ decision by spending £20.213 million on Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. The 30-year-old Spanish goalkeeper, who had a successful loan spell at Bournemouth last season, has been deemed unnecessary by Chelsea and is available for a relatively low fee, despite previously costing the club £72 million. Arsenal is searching for a new goalkeeper to challenge David Raya, who has solidified his position as the club’s number one. The Gunners had been interested in Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, but he has chosen to join Barcelona, where he is expected to be the starter. Undeterred by this, Arsenal is quickly pursuing a player with a solid track record in the Premier League, which has left former captain William Gallas puzzled. “In my opinion, Kepa moving to Arsenal would be an odd choice,” he shared with Prime Casino (as reported by Metro). “The backup goalkeeper should ideally be a younger player who’s in the learning phase and can eventually succeed David Raya in a few years. I don’t understand the logic behind bringing in someone older without any long-term vision. Arsenal should focus on finding a player in their early twenties who can develop and gain experience, particularly in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup. Kepa does not fit that description.” Arrizabalaga was the goalkeeper when Chelsea defeated Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final during the 2018/2019 season. Additionally, he has won the Champions League (2020/2021), UEFA Super Cup (2021), and FIFA Club World Cup (2021) with Chelsea.
