A month ago, it seemed clear that Kepa Arrizabalaga would go back to Chelsea after spending the 2023-24 season loan at Real Madrid and wouldn’t be returning to the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Spaniard had filled in well for the injured Thibaut Courtois when called upon, even if he later lost his place as No 2 to the Ukrainian Andriy Lunin. He used his Chelsea experience to help Lunin in the penalty shootout win against Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals and was praised by those at the Spanish club for his professionalism despite limited opportunities.
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Lunin, 25, appeared close to a new contract to keep him at Madrid until 2029. But that extension is now up in the air and the 29-year-old Arrizabalaga could still be an option, despite having said his goodbyes in late June — but it’s complicated.
So, where do Arrizabalaga and Lunin currently stand?
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Both goalkeepers’ fortunes changed in January. Arrizabalaga appeared to have won the battle to stand in for Courtois as he recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered late in pre-season. But, after several mistakes by the Chelsea loanee following a thigh injury and an improvement from stand-in Lunin, the debate was settled in the latter’s favour.
Lunin didn’t look back, becoming the hero in that shootout against City at the Etihad Stadium — saving two penalties to take his team through to the semi-finals. It was a key moment in Madrid going on to lift a record-extending 15th European Cup/Champions League title.
A month earlier, The Athletic reported that Madrid had opened talks with the Ukraine international’s agent, Jorge Mendes, about extending his contract, which runs out in 2025. It was an impressive turnaround from the end of 2022-23, when Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti and his coaching staff considered the possibility of replacing Lunin, with Getafe goalkeeper David Soria’s name discussed at the time.
Lunin made 31 appearances in 2023-24 across all competitions, more than in any previous season since moving to the Bernabeu in 2018, conceding 32 goals and keeping 12 clean sheets. But his season turned sour when Courtois returned in its final weeks.
After suffering a second knee injury in March, the club suggested Courtois’ season was over. But the Champions League final on June 1 was actually the Belgian’s target — with the idea that he would start that game at Wembley if Madrid got there.
The 102-cap Belgium international, 32, was on the bench for both legs of the semi-final against Bayern Munich as Lunin again put in a strong showing. Lunin thought he would start the final despite the Madrid No 1’s improved status, but a virus then prevented him from travelling with the team to London. He eventually travelled, by himself, on the day of the match.
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Courtois started, as expected, kept a clean sheet and produced several good saves as Madrid won 2-0 against Borussia Dortmund. Lunin’s concerns were growing, meanwhile, to the extent that his future was now unclear.
An agreement to extend the 25-year-old contract has been in place for a while, as confirmed to The Athletic by all parties, without them confirming whether it has been signed.
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If the Madrid No 2 expresses a desire to leave and Mendes presents the club with what they consider to be a fair offer, they are open to negotiating. Madrid are aware of Premier League interest and are waiting to see what role Mendes plays. Talks over the summer have led manager Ancelotti to believe Lunin will stay — although the Italian is not 100 per cent certain.
Lunin endured a difficult European Championship, struggling in Ukraine’s first game against Romania (a 3-0 defeat) before being dropped for Benfica’s Anatoliy Trubin for the other two as his side were eliminated after the group stage. He plans to report back to begin pre-season training on Monday, the date players who have not taken part in either the Euros or Copa America have been told to return, despite being involved in the tournament in Germany.
That is when the goalkeeper’s future will start to be clarified, with sources close to Lunin — who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships — saying that nothing has been decided. But Lunin wants to be Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper, and Mendes will be tasked with finding a solution if this is not possible.
Madrid and Ancelotti would prefer Lunin to stay, but if he leaves, the club consider Arrizabalaga to be a great alternative.
They valued the 13-cap Spain international’s attitude during his loan spell, even when he wasn’t playing. He made 20 appearances in all competitions, conceding 18 goals and keeping nine clean sheets. They were impressed by the tips he gave Lunin in the City shootout, helping him to save one effort from Bernardo Silva and another from Mateo Kovacic (Arrizabalaga had faced Bernardo in the 2019 Carabao Cup final shootout between Chelsea and City).
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Arrizabalaga was also almost responsible for one of the goals of the season when Madrid faced Osasuna in March — he advised substitute Arda Guler that Osasuna ’keeper Sergio Herrera liked to play further forward, leading to the Turkish midfielder taking a shot from the halfway line that hit the bar.
He proved to be a good fit in the dressing room, so much so that he came on for Courtois in the 63rd minute on the last day of the La Liga season against Real Betis to say farewell to fans at the Bernabeu. Courtois was behind that gesture and it was also approved by the goalkeeping coach Luis Llopis and manager Ancelotti.
Arrizabalaga is well aware of how his situation could be affected by Lunin’s decisions and likes the idea of returning to Madrid. His contract at Chelsea runs until summer 2025, he is on a high salary and would seem to be behind Robert Sanchez and summer 2023 signing Djordje Petrovic in the goalkeeping pecking order, so the London club are keen to find a new destination for him.
But all parties know that the timing required for this to happen is very complicated. Arrizabalaga has to work on where he might end up regardless of Lunin’s future, as he is doing.
Madrid have compiled reports on other goalkeepers, but everything would depend on the board’s approval.
For now, all eyes are on Lunin.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
