In a recent interview (via Football.London), Chelsea boss Frank Lampard provided an update on his goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s future as he said,
“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.
“And 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.”
Arrizabalaga’s Disappointing Season At The English Capital
The Spanish goalie has struggled to earn regular first-team minutes at Stamford Bridge during this campaign after losing his place to Edouard Mendy, who arrived from Stade Rennais last year. Arrizabalaga has made just four appearances for the Blues this term, shipping in seven goals without keeping a clean sheet across all competitions.
The 26-year-old’s overall record at Chelsea is far from convincing as he has conceded 116 goals in 99 matches while securing 33 clean sheets in the process. At least he passed the ball relatively well last season when he completed 79.7% of his attempted passes in the Premier League (stats via whoscored).
At the moment, Arrizabalaga’s career at West London is going nowhere, so it would be wise for him to seek a move elsewhere either on loan or permanently before the winter transfer window slams shut at the start of next month.
What Does The Spanish Custodian Bring To The Table?
On his best day, Arrizabalaga can make some solid saves at the back as he possesses good reflexes and can pull off some quick dives for his side. He is a decent passer of the ball out from the back but is prone to making errors inside his penalty area.
The Spaniard can also be a shaky handler of the ball when coming out to collect crosses inside his six-yard box. He lacks consistency with his performances and is far from a reliable keeper in the Premier League.
Should The Blues Cut Arrizabalaga Loose In January?
Arrizabalaga has failed to live up to the high expectations surrounding his move to Chelsea and needs to be moved on in search of greener pastures as soon as possible. Frank Lampard should consider cashing in on him if he receives a fair offer for the player’s services this month as he is clearly not part of his long-term plans at Stamford Bridge.
At 26, the Spanish shot-stopper needs regular first-team starts if he wants to reignite his career in European football. Hence, the Blues should also think about sanctioning a short-term loan move for Arrizabalaga if such an opportunity arises so that he can get his career back on track which might even boost his market value next summer.
