With both Thomas Strakosha and Pepe Reina set to leave the sky blue side of the Roman divide at the end of the season, Lazio are amping up efforts to being in a new shotstopper and a certain Chelsea outcast ranks high in Maurizio Sarri’s list of favourites to become the Biancocelesti’s new guardian between the sticks.
SS LAZIO, Strakosha doesn't renew: the mission for a new goalkeeper begins https://t.co/PItQr9AotU pic.twitter.com/FUeDXUuUry
— TransferMarketWeb (@TransferMarketW) January 25, 2022
Il Corriere dello Sport (via LazioNews24) reports of Sarri and sporting director Igli Tare’s intention of bringing in Chelsea number two Kepa Arrizabalaga. The 27-year-old Spaniard has seen his transfermarkt value plummet to €10m – one-eighth of the fee Chelsea paid to his boyhood club Athletic Bilbao four years ago.
Sarri was the manager at the Blues back then, and it seems like the ex-Napoli coach is still a fan of the goalkeeper, despite their history.
Kepa and Sarri have a controversial history of sorts that dates back to the 2019 Carabao Cup final at Wembley. As the final whistle after extra time was to be blown with the score level at 0-0, Sarri prepared to send in Willy Caballero for the impending penalty shoot-out. However, Kepa had other plans, as he refused to come off – gesturing frantically at the bench that he was not going be substituted.
Maurizio Sarri ‘keen on Kepa Arrizabalaga reunion’ as Lazio boss targets loan transfer swoop for Chelsea goalkeeper https://t.co/a27ocOCHSn
— The Sun – Chelsea (@SunChelsea) March 6, 2022
A significant investment is expected to be made by Lazio, but Arrizabalaga’s wage demands are expected to act as a huge barrier for the capital club, who are pondering to get him initially on loan before potentially making his move permanent.
Chelsea are currently undergoing off-field issues due to sanctions by the British government on Russian assets, that has forced owner Roman Abramovich to put the club up for sale. The Spaniard’s departure from the club could potentially arrive as a welcome financial relief for the Londoners, but it remains to be seen how these links play out.
Nevertheless, Lazio have other options to consider such as Paris Saint-Germain’s Sergio Rico, Atalanta’s Marco Carnesecchi and Udinese’s Marco Silvestri.