KEPA THE CHANGE Kepa Arrizabalaga has paid his own release clause at Athletic Bilbao instead of Chelsea

he 23-year-old shot stopper becomes the most expensive goalkeeper in history as he prepares to officially join the BluesAthletic Bilbao have announced that the goalkeeper has triggered the £71.6million fee required to allow him to leave the club.

While it is the Blues stumping up the cash, the player paid the fee himself to comply with Spanish regulations.

The sum goes to the Spanish Football Federation – who then pass it on to the club - and must come from the player rather than the club buying him.

It also helps Bilbao appease fans upset by the departure of one of their star players. With the player buying himself out of his contract and making it explicitly clear he wants to leave, the club can’t be accused of failing to fight to keep him.

An identical situation occurred when Ander Herrera left for Manchester United in 2014, with the midfielder paying his own £29m release clause.

Kepa’s representative Margarita Garay, executive director of the Bahia Internacional agency, was accompanied by four Spain-based lawyers and two representatives from Chelsea, Enric Ripoll and Paolo Torchetti, in Madrid on Wednesday morning to oversee the £71.6m payment.

The fee was reportedly deposited at exactly 9.22am local time today.

The deal sees Kepa, 23, become the most expensive goalkeeper in history, overtaking the £66.9m fee Liverpool paid Roma for Alisson last month.

Chelsea have been forced to act after it became clear Thibaut Courtois had no future at the club after expressing his desire to join Real Madrid.


The Belgium international will join the Champions League holders in a £38m deal.