It’s been an horrific 2023/24 campaign for Chelsea with Mauricio Pochettino having to contend with so many injuries, and now it appears he will need to potentially find room for a player that flopped at the club before being loaned out.
The past couple of seasons at Stamford Bridge have been a bit of a circus, and the question on everyone’s lips surely has to be when is it all going to calm down?
Transfer windows have become an incredibly busy time for the club with multiple incomings and outgoings.
It’s a way of working that was always going to have an effect on how well the first-team was going to shape up under Graham Potter firstly, then Frank Lampard and latterly, Mauricio Pochettino.
Kepa will return to Chelsea this summer
It’s almost impossible to work well under such circumstances, though excuses are unlikely to be listened to and acknowledged.
The sheer scale of injuries haven’t helped either as the likes of Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku have barely played.
Other players, such as Ben Chilwell, have seemingly got back to fitness and then been injured again, meaning that there’s been no continuity.
Now, according to CaughtOffside columnist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, Kepa Arrizabalaga will return to the club this summer after Real Madrid decided against signing him on a permanent basis.
??? Kepa, set to leave Real Madrid as he will return to Chelsea at the end of loan spell in June.
Real Madrid want to extend Lunin’s contract and they keep waiting for Courtois back in the summer.
??? Kepa, back to Chelsea with decision to be made on his future. pic.twitter.com/V4Q0tdrPo1
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 2, 2024
It will surely come as a bitter blow to both player and club as it means that Chelsea now have to find another club for him and sell at a huge loss, or integrate him back into the team and have him competing with their other custodians.
Given Financial Fair Play considerations, the latter scenario would appear to be highly unlikely at this point.
Since he’s hardly covered himself in glory whilst at the Santiago Bernabeu either, the list of potential suitors for Kepa isn’t likely to be extensive.