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Mauricio Pochettino confirms who will be Chelsea’s No.1 goalkeeper.
Mauricio Pochettino has revealed whether Kepa Arrizabalaga or Robert Sanchez will be Chelsea’s new No.1 goalkeeper.
After losing Edouard Mendy this summer, the Blues recruited Sanchez from Brighton for £25 million ($31.68 million) in order to compete with Arrizabalaga for the No. 1 spot at Stamford Bridge.
The signing raised speculation over who would wear the gloves between the posts, as the former Athletic Bilbao keeper has had some nerves since joining in 2019 for a club record £71 million ($91m).
However, Pochettino has no doubts over his No. 1 choice as he backed Arrizabalaga to be the preferred custodian.
“Sanchez and Kepa know they are going to fight for the No. 1 position. At the moment, Kepa is a little bit ahead. With time, we will see if Robert is there and can challenge Kepa,” he told reporters.
Pochettino’s announcement also puts an end to Bayern Munich’s hopes to pursue Arrizabalaga as the German giants seek protection for Manuel Neuer.
According to reports, the Bundesliga champions made an initial bid for the shot-stopper that included a season-long loan agreement with a buy option.
However, with Pochettino stating his ambitions for the Spaniard, a move to Germany seems unlikely in the near future.
Kepa will be hoping to keep a clean sheet against Liverpool in Chelsea’s Premier League opener on Saturday.