The Spaniard is set to leave Chelsea in the coming days (Picture: Getty Images)
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has confirmed that the club made an approach for Kepa Arrizabalaga but the Chelsea goalkeeper has opted to join Real Madrid.
The two European giants are both in the market for a new shot-stopper, with Bayern number one Manuel Neuer still recovering from a broken leg he suffered in a skiing accident in December while they have sold Yann Sommer to Inter.
Madrid, meanwhile, will likely be without Thibaut Courtois for the majority of the upcoming season after he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in training last week.
Both clubs identified Kepa as a solution, with Chelsea prepared to offload the 28-year-old – who remains the most expensive goalkeeper in history – after securing a deal for Brighton’s Robert Sanchez earlier this month.
Speaking at Harry Kane’s unveiling in Munich on Sunday, Dreesen confirmed that Bayern had held talks with Chelsea and Kepa but says the former Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper has opted to return to his homeland with Real.
Asked about the goalkeeper situation and rumoured interest in Kepa, Dreesen said: ‘Well I am confident that we will find a solution in that position.
‘But first of all I want to say that with Sven Ulreich we do have a good goalkeeper, he was always there when we needed him.
Dreesen, right, at Harry Kane’s unveiling on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)
‘We didn’t lose the game yesterday [against RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup] because of Ulreich and we are happy he is here and part of our team.
‘But we are trying to find a solution for this complicated situation. Of course we are closely connected with Manuel Neuer and we are confident he will come back in the second half of this year.
‘He’s really confident as well, but it’s hard to say when he will come back. You can never say when with this kind of injury.
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‘We are trying to work on getting a second goalkeeper. Yesterday we were quite close [to signing someone], we wanted to present Kepa, the Chelsea goalkeeper, today.
‘But he has chosen to join Real Madrid. He is Spanish and so he wanted to accept Real’s proposal.
‘There are other possibilities, I don’t want to say too much about it, but we’ll find a good solution.’
Although Mauricio Pochettino has spoken highly of Kepa and used him throughout pre-season, Chelsea have decided to sanction a loan move and are now looking for a new number two to play backup to Sanchez, having already been linked with ex-Leicester City keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
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The Spaniard is set to leave Stamford Bridge in the coming days.