Journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones believes Chelsea goalkeepers Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy will not both be at Stamford Bridge come the start of next season.
The Blues are enduring a torrid season, sitting eleventh in the Premier League and being comfortably knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid last night under interim boss Frank Lampard.
Lampard is technically the fourth manager to take charge of a match for Chelsea this season, showcasing what a chaotic campaign it has been in West London.
Chelsea’s goalkeeper situation
After joining from Stade Rennes in 2020 to replace the then-struggling Kepa, Mendy played an integral role as the Blues won the 2021 Champions League under Thomas Tuchel – equaling the record for the most clean sheets in a Champions League season with nine and being awarded both the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year and The Best FIFA Goalkeeper of 2021.
He retained his place until December 2022 when a knock followed by a shoulder injury opened the door for Kepa to return to the starting XI.
The Spaniard has performed impressively since – registering the joint second-lowest goals against per 90 in the Premier League (0.93) – and has kept Mendy on the bench since his return to the fold.
Now, Jones believes that there is no room for both goalkeepers at the club next season.
What has Dean Jones said about Mendy and Kepa’s future?
Speaking in an interview with This is Futbol, Jones stated his belief that only one, at most, of the two goalkeepers will remain a Chelsea player next season.
On Kepa and Mendy, the journalist said:
“I think one of the most interesting storylines between now and the end of the season will be whether Mendy gets a chance to win his spot back because Mendy and Kepa aren’t going to be at Chelsea next season. One of them might be. I don’t know which one it will be.”
What’s next for Kepa and Mendy?
After such a spectacular year in 2021, which also included winning the Africa Cup of Nations, Mendy will not endure another season of being second choice.
Kepa, the most expensive goalkeeper in history, has been hailed as “fantastic” by Lampard to the BBC (via journalist Nizaar Kinsella) but only time will tell if the new Chelsea manager will maintain faith in the 28-year-old.
Much will hinge on who takes permanent charge at Stamford Bridge this summer, but Jones is sure that both goalkeepers do not have much of a future in West London.